


Love Yourself

by RStrife918



Category: EXO (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Brotherly Love, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Smut, Freeform, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Love Confessions, Protective Siblings, Sibling Bonding, Sibling Love, Siblings, Smut, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, True Love, kpop
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 04:37:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 34,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17257685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RStrife918/pseuds/RStrife918
Summary: Loosely based off of the anime Uta no Prince-sama, Cho Ha-Neul leaves her Halmeoni’s home in the countryside to become an idol. Although she is musically gifted, and she has never had any training, she becomes the first female member of Bangtan, who become her best friends. However, performing isn’t all she must do. Ha-Neul must also help her friends get through their insecurities so they can love themselves, but what about EXO? It looks like she falls unexpectedly for the group's maknae.





	1. Prologue

_Jindeugi..._

_Jindeugi..._

_Jindeugi..._

_Jindeugi..._

_Jindeugi..._

_Jindeugi..._

A deep, silken voice prompted me to open my eyes, the wind blowing in my hair as I stood in what looked to be a building colored in dark tones. The floor shone underneath my feet as the moonlight streamed through the shattered window. Up ahead was a small shop with rusted bars, and behind the counter, a tall figure wearing black robes, a masquerade mask covering his visage. Set on the counter were a Snickers bar, a flower, a photo, and a mirror shard with a word scribbled onto it. 

I wasn't sure what it said and I when I made to take a step forward, the moonlight illuminated the abandoned building, revealing seven figures. Their expressions were completely apathetic, and their bodies were limp. My friends were trapped, and I wasn't sure what to do.

I turned to the eldest of the group, calling out to him, his black hair a complete mess and blending in with the oversized shirt he wore and baggy pants, "Jin  _hyung_?" 

He didn't answer me, his dark eyes clouded. I spun and looked at two males who were slightly older than I am. "Tae  _oppa_? Jungkook  _oppa_!" They didn't hear me either. I made a slow turn toward the others. "Jimin  _oppa_! Namjoon  _hyung_! Hoseok  _hyung_! Yoongi  _hyung_!"

No one answered. My brothers were all far gone. I could feel my heart racing with anxiety at this point, and I faced the figure in the shop, "What did you do to them?!"

The unknown figure craned his head, his eyes resting on me before he extended his hand. I took a careful step back, glaring in his direction.  
There was a short silence and the wind howled as it blew through my hair. I could hear the almost inaudible ring coming from the dangling earrings Jin and Tae wore, and the figure asked but one question.

"Are you prepared to give up everything for them?"


	2. Chapter 1

"Please!"

I begged the guard standing in front of the studio. The streets of Seoul were crowded today, and it was freezing cold. There was a chance some snow would fall as well.

"Just give me a chance! I want to apply!"

"We can't," the guard spoke firmly. "We aren't allowed to let anyone register after the prescribed time."

"I beg of you!" I wasn't going to back down. I would stay in front of the studio even if it means I get frostbite. "I want to apply no matter what!" I walked up to him. "I want to become an idol for Bighit!"

"You're persistent, aren't you?" The other guard spoke with annoyance in his tone, grabbing my wrist, threatening to cut circulation. "Just go the hell away!" He pushed me back, causing me to stumble and exclaim with surprise.

I fell to the ground, my bag and all of the contents inside spilling onto the ground. The first snowflakes began to fall and I grunted painfully while trying to gather my things, " _Aish!_ " Those men were so rude, and I was even told to come here at this time.

Just as I was about to plead again, I found an umbrella was covering my head, keeping the snow from falling into my hair. "Eh?" I made a confused sound and looked up, meeting the dark gaze of a male with silver hair. He smiled kindly, cheeks tinted a slight pink from the cold, and he wore a large white coat with a scarf wrapped around his neck.

" _Gwenchanayo?_ " He asked, his voice light and airy. The male reached out, extending his hand. "I wouldn't want you to catch a cold now."

I pursued my lips and gave a single nod, "Y-Yes...  _gomaweo._ " I reached out for his hand and stood up with his help.

He turned toward the guards and spoke politely, "Please let her in. She's begging you to let her apply. I know this isn't the time but it really looks like she's eager to become an idol."

"She doesn't have any kind of musical history or experience in dance," the guard stated. "It's obvious, isn't it?! Look! She's clumsy and she fell on her own. She's never even been a trainee!"

"Now wait just a minute!" I began but the voice of another male stopped me from speaking.

"Wouldn't that depend on her reason to be late?" I turned toward the sound of his deep voice, his light brown hair styled and he wore a jacket over his oversized shirt and skinny jeans. He stood at probably five eleven, and his eyes held a commendable amount of intelligence. "This girl here was late to her appointment because she wanted to help a lost little boy."

How did he know? He wasn't wrong though. Just before I got here, a little boy was lost and his mother was frantic. I couldn't just leave him to wander the city all alone, especially when terrible things could happen. I helped him find his mother but at the cost of being late. However, I don't regret what I did.

"Oh! Namjoon _hyung!_ " The silver-haired male raised his brows.

"Jimin," The other male grinned as he walked up to us, looking to the security guards again. "If I had known she was going to be late to an audition, I wouldn't have had a problem driving her all the way here. And also, being an idol doesn't mean you have to carry a tune or dance. You have to care for other people."

"That's right!" Jimin agreed with him. "That alone is proof she can be an idol!"

"Kim Namjoon," the guard began solemnly. "Once again, we cannot allow her to—"

The sound of a phone interrupted him and the other guard held it up to his ear, beginning to speak to the person on the other line, " _Ne, algesseumnida,_ " he faced us and gave a single nod. "She can audition."

"Really?!" I asked and the two of them parted ways, the doors up ahead.

"Looks like you did it,  _hyung,_ " Jimin said to the other male who chuckled a bit.

I gasped, pressing my hand to my mouth and bowed before the younger men several times, " _Gamsahamnida! Gamsahamnida!_ "

"Don't mention it," Namjoon waves a hand. "I do hope you become an idol. We'll be your first fans, right?" He turned to the silver-haired male who nodded in agreement.

" _Ne,_ we will."

Starting today, I am going to be an idol for Bighit!


	3. Chapter 2

As expected, my audition went well, and I was waiting to know if I would debut soon. As I waited, I paced around the brightly lit hallway, staring toward the window with the view of Seoul several times with my phone in my hand. It was different from the country, that was for sure, and I was beginning to feel a little homesick. I began to wonder if I would make it here, in a city that was so foreign to me.  
As I was mulling over my thoughts, my phone rang and I checked the screen to find a familiar number that made me closer to home. I brought the phone to my ear and spoke, " _Halmeoni?_ "

"Ha-Neul?" My grandmother's loving voice was on the other side. "Have you made it to Seoul?"

" _Ne,_ " I replied, smiling, my tense shoulders beginning to unwind. "I just finished auditioning."

"Oh, good. I was worried you had gotten lost," she sighed with relief and I giggled.

"I'm not the one who gets lost," I teased her and she laughed.

"You're right. I'm so proud of you, chasing your dream to be an idol," she spoke with nostalgia in her tone. "You'll sing for me, yes? Just like you said when you were a little girl?"

" _Ne!_ " I nodded against the phone. "I'll sing for you... I'll be an idol you can proud of."

"Cho Ha-Neul," an older woman opened the door to the office and I faced her, raising my brows in inquiry. "We will be seeing you now."

"Oh," I pursed my lips and returned to my call. " _Halmeoni_ , I have to go now. I'll call you later, hm?"

"Yes, yes! Good luck!" She replied before the call ended. I tucked my phone into my bag and entered the office, which was brightly lit with a long table and shelves.

The middle-aged woman motioned for me to follow her toward the end of the room and I can face to face with several other males.

"Oh! Snow girl!" Jimin exclaimed and I found he was amongst them.

"We seem to be running into each other a lot today," Namjoon was here too.

"Cho Ha-Neul, I would like to introduce you to Bangtan," the woman said. "I'm sure you've heard of them, right?"

"Bangtan," I repeated before looking between Namjoona and Jimin and then toward the other boys. I have heard of them but I wasn't very familiar with them. I probably only heard a few songs.

"Allow me to introduce you to them. Kim Namjoon who you already know. Kim Seokjin," She looked to the talk male with broad shoulders and a lean physique, and his hair was jet black.

"I'm Jin. Worldwide handsome, you know?" He smiled down at me.

"Min Yoongi."

The next member wore a cap over his brown hair, and he was in a hoodie and jeans, "Nice to meet you," he spoke politely.

"Jeon Hoseok."

"You're my hope, I'm your hope, I'm J-Hope," his smile was warm and reminded me greatly of sunshine on a summer day. He raised his hands and gave me some finger hearts.

"You also know Park Jimin. This is Kim Taehyung."

"Nice to meet you," his hair was dyed red and he had a deep and soothing voice.

"And Jeon Jungkook, our _maknae_."

"Nice to meet you," he smiled and he gave me a gracious bow. Where Jimin's voice was light and airy, Jungkook had a youthful and angelic voice.

"Although, I have a feeling you'll be our maknae now," the lady said to me with a chuckle and I made a confused sound.

"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked her.

"She means," Namjoon began. "You're a member of Bangtan."

I froze in place, my eyes threatening to burst out of their sockets, " _Jinjjah_?!" I wasn't expecting that. I thought I would at least become a solo idol, but I would have to debut with a girl group before that happened. It would take several years, no doubt. "But... a girl in a boy group, isn't that odd?"

"There is no need to fret," the lady waved a hand. "I think you'll do very well with them. Besides, think of it like... you're gaining seven older brothers."

"And we will be very protective of you," Taehyung spoke. "Welcome to BTS!"

I still wasn't so sure, however, something about this excited me greatly. I didn't know much but I knew these guys were famous, even outside of Korea. Maybe I should embrace it.  
" _Gamsahamnida_ ," I bowed several times. "However... even though I'm the youngest... can Jungkook hyung still keep the title of _maknae_."

" _Hyung_?" The youngest male laughed. "That honorific isn't going to cut it."

"Huh?"

He walked toward me and wrapped his arm around me, grinning brightly, "Since I am the _maknae_ , how about you call me... _oppa_?"

"Huh?!"

" _Aish_ , what's with 'huh?'" Taehyung laughed and joined me on my other side. "You're to call me _oppa_ too."

"Same with me!" Jimin raised a hand. "We're the younger members and that means you're going to be very close with us."

"Come on," Jungkook urged me, "say ' _oppa_!'"

"Um," I chuckled nervously, cheeks glaring in embarrassment. I tucked some of my hair behind my ear and spoke quietly. " _Oppa_..."

"Yes!" Taehyung raised a fist triumphantly.

"Let's take her to the dormitory. Her room should be ready by now," Namjoon said, heading for the door. "So, Ha-Neul, are you ready to live with a bunch of loud and crazy boys?"

"We'll turn down the noise, we promise!" Hoseok chirped.

"If you don't, I'll make you turn the noise down," Yoongi grumbled.

"Don't scare the girl!" Jin scolded him, slapping him upside the head and turning to me. "Don't worry, Ha-Neul. Jin eomma will feed you and take care of you."

They really are loud and crazy, but something told me I was going to have fun with them. " _Ne_!" I exclaimed happily and ran toward them, ready to leave the building.

******

The dormitory was rather large, with a lounging area containing a leather couch and a TV, several game consoles and a karaoke set put to the side. The wide window overlooked the neighborhood and up the stairs was where the bedrooms were. The kitchen was giant as well, and the whole place had been cleaned thoroughly.

"Wow!" I breathed as I stepped inside with my bags.

"Nice, right?" Hoseok asked before calling out. "Noona! Come on down! We have a new housemate!"

"Hoseok" A voice called out from upstairs and a girl came running down the stairs, wearing an apron and rubber gloves, with a feather duster and spritzer in her hands. Her hair was long and dark, and she had a sweet face with the biggest eyes. "I finished cleaning! Where is your new member?"

"Right here," he placed his hands on my shoulders. "This is Cho Ha-Neul, our newest member. Ha-Neul, this is my big sister, Ji-woo, and she lives with us too."

"It is a pleasure to meet you! Finally!" She sighed with content. "There's another girl living with us!" She took off her gloves and threw them onto the floor, taking my hands in her's. "Call me Unnie. You and I are roommates from now on. I hope we can become very close."

"I hope so too," I nodded in agreement before hearing Jin's footsteps as he made his way into the kitchen. 

"I'm about to make dinner. It'll be ready in two hours. Is that okay with everyone?"

"Yes!" Jungkook called out. "In the meantime, let's play or something."

"How about we dance to girl groups?" Hoseok asked as he pulled his hands away from my shoulders. "So, shall we go with Red Velvet of Black Pink?"

"Girls Generation!" Namjoon said as he sat on the couch. "Let's go old school."

"And no one dances to it better than Tae," Jimin replied.

"Then hyung and Jungkook will dance to EXID afterward," Taehyung said with excitement.

Ji-woo rolled her eyes playfully and wrapped her arms around me, giggling, "You should totally watch. Their shenanigans always make my day."

"I'm sure they do," I said with endearment. That lady back at Bighit was right. I had just gained seven big brothers, and Ji-woo as a big sister—an bonus. Halmeoni, you don't have to worry so much now. These people will take care of me. As Ji-woo led me to the couch and Jin's cooking commenced, I watched the maknae line begin their fun dance, with the older members breaking into bright and cheerful laughter.


	4. Chapter 3

I never expected Jin to be such a great cook. I could feel the love and caution he put into making tonight's dinner. He was like a mother hen and he made sure I ate well before retreating to my shared bedroom with Ji-woo. 

"Here's our room," she opened the door, revealing a large room with two beds in between a window. There were cute bubble lamps hanging from the ceiling and a desk full of sewing equipment. The walls were an immaculate white and on each of them were posters of several boy and girl groups. "Your bed is right here." She patted the second bed, which already had teal and yellow comforters folded with matching pillow covers--a stark contrast from her pink and purple sheets.

" _Gomaweo, Unnie_ ," I spoke and placed my belongings beside the bed, commencing to unpack. "These bed sheets are beautiful."

"I made them," she replied. "I have my own clothing brand so from now on, I'll take care of your outfits for you."

"You're too kind," I opened the spare closet and began to hang my clothes. "The boys are very sweet. I feel at home already."

"Aren't they? They're dorks but they're absolute gems. I'm happy Hoseok asked me to move in or else my life would have been boring," She sighed heavily and fell back onto her bed before asking. "So you're not from Seoul?"

"No, I lived outside the city," I answered. "I was in poor health when I was a child so my parents sent me to live with my _Halmeoni_. She taught me to sing, dance, and play the piano. She used to be a singer when she was young, and I had so much fun with her growing up. She inspired me to become an idol."

"I see," Ji-woo sat up, eyes brimming with interest. "so that's why you came to Seoul and now you're with us. Honestly, I'm happy you were put with the boys. With an angel like you, they'll be forced to work much harder."

I chuckled softly and took a seat on the soft mattress, looking around the room once again, "I notice you have a lot of posters."

"These are my favorite groups at the moment besides Bangtan," she gestured. "Do you know any of them."

"Only a few and I heard maybe some songs," I shrugged before listing off. "Red Velvet, VAV, Monsta X, ASTRO, TWICE, EXO--"

"EXO?" Ji-woo's eyes threatened to burst out of their sockets and she beamed with delight before turning to the poster beside her bed. "These _hyungs_ , right?!" 

My eyes trailed toward the poster, which showed nine attractive males, " _N-Ne_ , them. Why--?" I began to ask why she was so excited and she squealed.

"Their songs are amazing plus the boys are so full of sex appeal! Xiumin is my bias!" She exclaimed. "Who is yours?!"

"Bias...?" I wondered. I knew that was a fangirl or fanboy's favorite member of a group, but I never stopped to think who I found to be my favorite.

" _Ne_! Bias!" She grabbed her laptop, her fingertips hitting the keys as she typed her password. Ji-woo made her way onto YouTube, and she put on a music video, turning the screen to me.

"Don't tell me you don't know their names!"

"I do..." I smiled uneasily, listening to the song and watching the video closely, the dark colors and synth effects filling my senses. Each guy was unique in their own way. Everyone knew Suho was a great leader, and Chanyeol an excellent rapper. Baekhyun, Lay, Chen, and Xiumin were wonderful dancers. Kai was a hit with the ladies, especially with his girlfriend Jennie from Black Pink. D.O.'s specialty was vocals, but their maknae, Sehun, was completely different. There were two sides to him: a fun, playfully dog lover offstage, and a serious, emotional dancer with an intense gaze, as well as a gifted vocalist and assertive rapper. Granted, all of the boys were special in their own way but there was something extraordinary about their youngest member...

_She got me going crazy  
Why is my heart racing?  
You're beautiful, my goddess  
But you're closed up, yeah yeah  
I'll knock so will you let me in?  
I'll give you a hidden thrill  
There's a curiosity in your eyes,  
You've already fallen for me  
Don't be afraid, love is the way  
Shawty, I got it  
You can call me monster_

_I'm creepin' in your heart, babe  
I'll flip you over, break you down and swallow you up  
I'll steal you and indulge in you  
I'm gonna mess you up  
I'm engraved in your heart  
So even if I die, I'll live forever  
Come here girl, you call me monster  
I'll go into your heart_

"Um," I began before I heard a knock on the door, finding Jungkook leaning against the frame. " _Oppa_!"

"Ah, Jungkook. Come join us," Ji-woo motioned for him to come inside.

"What are you doing?" He asked before noticing the music video. "Ooh, back to the Monster era, are we? Why not hear their new song?"

"Love Shot you mean?" Ji-woo asked. "I shouldn't or else that will become my favorite song."

"Nothing wrong with that," he laughed as he sat with us. "Did you hear their new song, Ha-Neul?"

"No, not yet," I smiled with disappointment. " _Unnie_ was just asking me who my bias was. Do you know them personally, _Oppa_?"

"We all do," Jungkook crossed his legs. "We're good friends with EXO _sunbaenim_. I hope we can collaborate someday because ARMY and EXO-l tend to fight with each other and they don't know both of our groups are close."

"I pray something changes," I gave a single nod, reminiscing of my time with _Halmeoni_. Playing piano with her and singing with her is what brought us closer. When she was a singer in her prime, so many people were brought together because of her warm songs. They soothed the bitterness in their hearts. "That's why I wanted to become an idol. My _Halmeoni_ brought people together with her songs, and I hope to be an idol that does the same--bridge the gap between every fan, teach them to love themselves and love others just as much. One day, all of our fandoms will stop hating each other and start supporting each other."

"Then we'll help you," Jungkook spoke with determination, his dark eyes gleaming as he smiled. "We're your big brothers now, and your dreams are our dreams," he stood from the bed and brushed off the wrinkles from his black hoodie. "Make sure to wake up early tomorrow. Your debut stage is in two weeks and you'll need to know the choreography of MIC Drop."

"I will. _Gomaweo, Oppa_ ," I bowed and he ruffled my hair affectionately.

"Good. We'll be there to help you every step of the way," he made his way out of the room and I exhaled. There were no signs of butterflies in my stomach and my heart wasn't racing. I think I'll be okay tomorrow. 

"You can do it, Ha-Neul," Ji-woo assured me. "Fighting!"

I smiled and agreed, parroting, "Fighting."


	5. Chapter 4

Hair styled, dressed in expensive suits, fans screaming as their charisma filled the humid concert hall--it seemed this group had people's hearts racing. They rolled their bodies as they sang the sensual lyrics of their song, the fingers of their right hands reminiscent of a gun. One of them smirked, knowing how good he looked as his moved, and another one held a blank expression. A few were concentrating on the choreography and the last one held a piercing gaze in his dark eyes.

_Aiming at each other so coldly_  
In that voice with a sharp edge  
It is only full of suffocating things 

_With eyes covered, like that_  
Hearts of each other that are shut tight  
It struggles to look away  
Ah, burning deep inside  
As if it will split I am getting breathless  
I am thirsty  
Pouring this one glass full  
As if it will overflow  
This dangerous night, I 

_It’s the love shot_

The fan chants rang through the hall, and once the show was over, the boys retreated backstage.

"Finally done," Kai sighed heavily, a tired and goofy smile on his lips. "I want to eat and sleep."

"Same here," Chanyeol pressed a hand to the younger member's shoulder. "Good job, everyone."

"Gomaweo, _hyung_ ," Kyungsoo grabbed a bottle of water on his way to the changing room. "But we're not done yet. We have that award show in two weeks."

"We'll see Bangtan again!" Chen was excited. "Did you hear? They have a new member and she's debuting that day!"

"Member?" Sehun's voice came from behind them. He had finished drinking from his water bottle, his tongue running along his lower lip. "And you said 'she?'"

"First female member, I heard," Suho answered with a grin. "I hope we get to meet her soon. From what Taehyung told me, she's very cute."

"How old is she actually?" Lay wondered as they walked. "If anyone is thinking of hooking up with her, it'll be a problem if she's underage."

" _Hyung_ , you know me. I have Jennie," Kai faced him. "and Jimin told me she's a year younger than Jungkook, so you guys are safe."

"Still too young for some of us," Xiumin chuckled a bit. "But not for Sehun."

"What?" the youngest asked, eyebrows raised in disbelief. "You can't be serious. She hasn't even debuted yet and you want me to get with her? You know some of the fans don't take lightly to dating. Kai _hyung_ was just lucky."

"Hush, you punk!" Chanyeol smacked the back of his head gently. "you think those desperate Yanderes are going to stop you?"

"There was that one fan..." Baekhyun trailed off.

"You mean the one that wanted Sehun to take his shirt off so she could post his abs on Twitter?" Chen wondered.

"He does have nice abs though..." Suho hummed.

"Don't we all?" Kai laughed.

" _Hyung_!" Sehun snapped gently, glaring slightly in Suho's direction.

" _Gwenchana_ , Sehun- _ah_ ," Chanyeol smacked his shoulder. "We have the awards show soon anyway so you'll be seeing a lot of her then. Maybe you'll have a change of heart."

"I don't plan on being in a relationship until I'm thirty," Sehun reminded them. "plus, she must be kind, neat, clean and have a bubbly personality. She must also treat my parents well, be proficient in doing housework, and take care of Vivi."

"Yaaaaaa, look at our _maknae_ ," Xiumin walked up to him, pinching his cheek and laughing. He had to reach up to do so since Sehun was much taller than him. "such an old-fashioned guy!"

" _Hyung_ ," he whined, pulling his hand away from his face. "I stand by what I said! Unless it's true love, I won't make the first move!"

"We'll see," Kai sang before cackling and walking away. "Because someone is bound to take her!"

Sehun wasn't sure why his hyungs were acting strange today. They were usually unfazed by female idols or they were very kind to them. It wasn't until recently that Kai and Jennie were found dating. Expecting backlash and angry fans from a sea of EXO-ls and BLINKs, they were wrong, for they were very supportive. There have been many couples beforehand in the industry but many of them never received any happy wishes from their fans, only death threats on social media and being ridiculed. There were fans out there who lived by spreading unnecessary drama and those who had sick fantasies of making idols there's. They were called the Japanese word Yanderes among the fandoms, and they were toxic people.

He wanted to believe things were changing but something in the back of his mind told him if anyone attempted to come out about their relationships, fans wouldn't be happy. That was why idols kept their relationships a secret. He couldn't deny that his interest had been piqued concerning the girl that joined Bangtan. He knew those young men were some of the kindest, most considerate people, so he could only imagine what that girl must have been like.

"Sehun- _ah_!" Suho called out, and the _maknae_ was taken away from his thoughts. "Come on! We gotta get out of these clothes and go home!"

"N-Ne!" he exclaimed and ran, catching up with the rest of his hyungs.


	6. Chapter 5

I listened closely to the lyrics of the song, memorizing each verse as I sat cross-legged in the middle of the dance studio, dressed in an oversized hoodie and black shorts, moving to the beat of the song. Steve Aoki and the boys made such an outstanding collaboration and in two weeks time, I was going to be a part of the performance.

"Did you see my bag? Did you see my bag? My bag's filled with trophies!" I sang along, the music blasting in my ears. "How you think 'bout that? How you think 'bout that? Haters are already giving up! My success is already so golden, I'm so firin' firin' like a torchbearer! You're rushing to run away! How you dare, how you dare, how you dare?!"

I stood up and played the song from the beginning, turning on the small screen in front of me. If I could nail the choreography for the first, then the chorus will come easy. I studied the choreography for several moments before getting into position, and began to dance, rolling my shoulders and following the members who weren't lead dancers. I made sure to focus on both the technique and emotion of each dance move as well as singing along.

I hadn't even noticed the door opening and Taehyung and Jin came inside, dressed in ripped jeans and comfortable shirts.

"Yaaaaa, look at you!" Jin remarked with a grin on his face. "You actually got the choreography down!"

"I'm still off beat though," I spoke as I paused the video, the music turning off.

"You didn't look off beat to me," Taehyung replied as he pulled his hoodie down. "If anything, you're doing a far better job than we did when we first learned the choreography."

"I'm no where in synch with you," I replied. "The moves to this dance come to you naturally. It's not natural to me yet. I have to work extra hard."

"What is it with  _maknaes_  and their will to do better?" Jin asked as he got into position, ready to join me. "I'll dance with you and we'll see if you're truly off beat. Taehyung- _ah_ , you join us too."

"Don't have to tell me twice,  _hyung,_ " he stood on my right side and I played the video again, playing the song from the beginning. For now, I played the part of backup dancer. I would have to find out from Namjoon my position in the dance and the lyrics I would have to sing later on.

We came to a stop close toward the end of the song, taking a seat on the floor and drinking some water, allowing our tired limbs to rest for several minutes.

"You've had no training and you're able to keep up with us," Taehyung observed. "Why is that?"

"Trust me, back then, I wouldn't have been able to keep up," I explained to him. "I used to have a frail body so I lived with my  _Halmeoni_  in the countryside. The fresh air and exercise helped me grow stronger. She didn't know contemporary dance but she knew ballroom dancing since she went to clubs with her friends when she was attending university. She used to be a singer and pianist as well, and she also taught me how to sing and play."

"Ah, so you want to become an idol because of your  _Halmeoni_ ," Jin nodded, taking in my words. "You are gifted too."

"Although," I began, chuckling nervously. "even though I know how to play the piano, I don't know how to read music..."

"Huh?" Taehyung made a sound, almost in disbelief. "You can't read music? Then... how do you play? And how do you sing...?"

"I memorize the keys and I listen to the song," I answered. "But I want to learn to read music so I can write songs at some point. I wish to write songs that bring people together."

"Well, Yoongi and I can help," Jin offered. "We both play the piano. We can give you lessons when we aren't practicing or recording a song."

" _Gomaweo_ ," I bowed. "That means a lot. I promise to work hard."

******

"What should we eat today?" Jin asked as the three of us exited the building, walking into the cold streets of the city.

"Hot pot," Taehyung exclaimed. "It's cold and we should warm up quickly."

"What do you think, Ha-Neul- _ah_?" Jin asked me. "Should we eat hot pot?"

" _Ne,_ " I nodded. "I'll eat just about anything. Are you on strict diets?"

"Only once in a while," Jin tucked his hands into his jacket and we crossed the street. "Otherwise we can eat just about whatever we want."

"Oh good," I sighed with relief. "I don't think I can ever stick to the kind of diet girl groups have to uphold. I may be small but I need to eat."

"We're getting hot pot! We're getting hot pot, we're getting hot pot!" Taehyung began to sing and do a little dance, laughing as we turned a corner. Before we could make our way to the restaurant, the sound of a dog yipping could be heard in the distance.

"Vivi- _ah_!" A voice shouted. "Come back! Vivi!"

"What's going on?" Jin asked, coming to a stop. We spotted a small dog with white fur running toward us. "Oh! A dog!" He cried out with fright, hiding behind me. "S-Stay away! It'll bite!"

" _Oppa_ ," I spoke, furrowing my brows when the dog came to a stop, standing before me with his tail wagging and his tongue hanging out of his mouth, panting. "Don't tell me you're afraid of dogs?"

"Oh, he's afraid of everything," Taehyung spoke nonchalantly.

"They'll bite! Dogs are scary!" Jin sobbed, holding me tightly.

"Oh, but look at him," I cooed as I met the dog's eyes, who sat down, waiting for me to let him. I giggled and crouched, ignoring Jin's pleas for me to be careful. I rubbed the dog's white fur and it nuzzled my palm. "Good boy! What a cutie-pie you are! Oh, yes you are! Yes you are!"

"Vivi- _sshi_!"

The voice called again and I raised my head, eyebrows raised when I saw the owner of this dog. He was tall—much taller than other idols—with black hair and chiseled features and broad shoulders. He had a tall nose, thick eyebrows, a small mouth and thin earlobes, and he was wearing a black coat over his turtle neck and skinny jeans of the same color. He had to be at least four years older than I am.

"Vivi," he knelt before the dog and rubbed his fur, sighing with relief. "Why did you run away?" He spoke with a sincere and kind voice, not once raising it at the little critter. "What am I going to do with you...? You don't listen to me..."

Where had I seen this man before? The dog—Vivi—licked my palm and I chuckled softly. "He's very cute. He ran away?"

"He doesn't usually do run off," he replied, his lips pulling into a smile as he met my eyes. " _Mianhe_. It seems he's taken a liking to you."

"Oh!" Taehyung exclaimed from behind me, looking to the older male. "Sehun  _hyung_! It's you! I knew that dog looked familiar!"

"Eh?" I made a confused sound and faced the man again, standing up slowly. So this is EXO's Sehun. He was a lot more attractive than in the teasers and music videos.

He licked his lips and stood up, holding onto Vivi's leash and bowing, "Jin  _hyung_ , Taehyung- _ah_ , it's good to see you again," his gaze was fixated on my once again. "And... I don't believe we've met..."

"U-Uh," I stuttered and Jin presses his hands on my shoulders.

"This is Cho Ha-Neul. Our newest member," he spoke proudly. "She's cute, right? We're happy to have a little sister with us."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Sehun grinned. "I'm Oh Sehun, the  _maknae_  of EXO. And this is Vivi. Vivi- _sshi_ , say hi!" He looked at his dog, who yipped in response.

" _Annyeong_ , Vivi- _ah_!" I waved at him.

"Where are you headed?" The older male wondered.

Jin moves from his place behind me, "We're going to eat hot pot. Would you like to join us?"

"Yes, please just us," Taehyung urged. "It's been some while since we spent time together."

"I would love to," he began. "But I have to get back. We have dance practice for the award show coming soon."

"I wish you luck," I spoke suddenly and Sehun faced me once more, tilting his head a bit. There was a moment of silence between us and he gave me a nod.

" _Gomaweo_ ," he made several kissing sounds and Vivi stood, ready to walk. "I hope to see you at the award show, Cho Ha-Neul." He smiled me before walking away, and I could feel my cheeks flaring.

I watched him leave, my eyes on his broad shoulders and Jin snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Yaaaaaaa, he's taller than me, and I'm his  _hyung_!" He said with amazement. "He's become much more attractive too."

"It has been a while," Taehyung admitted. "I hope we can all catch up soon, right Ha-Neul?"

If he was honest and sincere off stage, I could only imagine what he was like on stage. I could feel my heart racing and looked to my feet.

"Ha-Neul? Ha-Neul- _ah_!" Taehyung spoke and I jumped.

" _N-Ne_!" I answered quickly, my cheeks still warm. "W-We should..." This was not normal at all. Why was my stomach doing backflips? Why was my heart racing? I need to calm down. "L-Let's go eat hot pot!" I added. "I'm hungry."


	7. Chapter 6

Sehun continued his trek back to the house, his grip on Vivi's leash tightening ever so slightly. His mind was racing, for he had come face to face with the newest member of Bangtan. It looked like his  _hyungs_  were correct--she was very cute, and he could feel his cheeks turning red. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, ridding himself of any thoughts but failed miserably. He wanted to stay calm and collected when he entered the house but that shy part of him continued to resurface.

"Vivi," he pursed his lips, the sounds of kisses leaving his lips as he received his dog's attention. "Come, we're about to go inside." He slipped his keys into the lock and opened the door, letting him go inside first before entering, closing the door behind him. "Good boy."

"You're back!" Suho was laying on the couch, lifting himself into a seated position when he spotted the youngest and his dog. "What took you so long?"

"I ran into Taehyung and Jin  _hyung,_ " he answered sincerely. "Vivi ran off and he found them."

"How are they?" the leader wondered. "are they in good health?"

" _Ne_ ," he took off Vivi's leash and took off his jacket, seating himself next to Suho. "Don't we have practice later?"

"Don't worry about practice. We're performing Love Shot anyway. We have the choreography down anyway," Suho waved a hand and assured him. "By the way, was she there?"

"'She?'" Sehun wondered before he realized who he was referring to. His cheeks went hot again and he coughed a bit. "Oh! U-Um..."

"You did?!" He asked, shifting and staring straight at the  _maknae_ , "Is she cute?!"

"Hey!" Sehun snapped gently. "You'll be seeing her soon! You'll find out yourself, won't you?"

Suho raised his brows in amazement. "So she  _is_  cute! And you think so too! Sehun- _ah_  is always so composed but he's a tall baby who wants a girl's attention! I bet that's why Vivi went running because he also knew she's cute!"

"Shh!" He pressed a hand to his  _hyung's_  mouth, shaking his head vigorously. "Dear Lord, speak low!"

Kyungsoo came walking inside and he stumbled backward, dumbfounded, watching as the two of them were pressed against each other. This wasn't the first time this happened. He recalled when they first debuted and they had moved into this house, they played the same trick on Chanyeol's girlfriend, who used to spy on them from her bedroom window. "Is Yeon-hee spying on us again?" He asked, walking toward them and pulling Sehun away from Suho. "Hey! What are you doing?!"

"Kyungsoo- _ah_ , don't worry. Sehun is just being shy," he laughed, explaining to him. "He ran into Bangtan's female member."

"You did?!" Kyungsoo was now holding disbelief. He threw himself in front of Sehun. "Is she cute?!"

"Ugh," Sehun rolled his eyes, "No, she's ugly." 

"I... don't know if that is supposed to be sarcastic," Kyungsoo spoke slowly.

"Of course she is!" Sehun exclaimed, burying his face in his hands and sighing. "She's..." he remembered the way Vivi ran to her. Ha-Neul, with her brown hair, her big brown eyes, and her creamy skin. She had a pretty smile, and she seemed to have a spritely personality--what he wanted to find in a girl. She was also very polite and respectful, plus she loved Vivi upon just laying eyes on him. This was too good to be true. "...beautiful. I want to see her on stage now..." he admitted truthfully. His heart was racing and his head was spinning. 

"What's going on here?" Chanyeol asked as he too joined him, eyebrow cocked. "Sehun's face is all red. Is he becoming shy again?"

" _Saranghaeo,_ " Suho sang teasingly, mimicking the  _maknae's_  voice. " _Saranghaeo, jagi!_ " 

"Be glad this girl didn't ask to take a picture of your abs," Kyungsoo slapped his shoulder. "Ah, now I want to see her... this isn't fair. You got to see her before I did..."

Sehun sighed heavily and pressed himself against the headboard of the couch, staring at the ceiling, "Lord give me strength... what am I going to do with myself...?"

******

**_(Ha-Neul's PoV)_ **

" _Gomaweo, Unnie,_ " I replied as I watched Ji-woo slip slightly longer nails under my cuticles. This was the first time I had ever gotten my nails done. I never knew how relaxing it was to be pampered.

"Don't mention it," she chuckled, painting them before turning the UV light on. "You have such pretty hands too. So dainty and cute. They deserve to have special treatment. Gel lasts a very long time and these colors will go well with the outfits I'm making for you and the boys." She placed my hands under the light. "Tae told me you learned almost all of MIC Drop's choreography today. You're a quick learner!"

"Yup, but I still have to make it look as natural as them," I nodded. "Then I'll be learning the choreography of Fake Love afterward. We have to perform two songs for the show."

"Fake Love is a great song," she began to apply more nail polish once the lights turned off. "Love is the theme of the Song Festival coming soon. You'll all be learning a new dance break once it comes around. And then afterward, you'll be heading to Hong Kong, then Japan, Taiwan, and back to Korea for one more Festival."

"I guess since a lot of idols are coming out about their relationships, the industry chose that theme?" I asked.

"That's right," she agreed. "But as supportive as many fans are, there are some who are still obsessive about their biases. No doubt it'll be the same once you gain fans too, but you shouldn't let that stop you from falling for someone. A few years ago, Hyuna and E'Dawn had announced their relationship but the fans weren't so kind. They sent death threats and wished for E'Dawn to leave Pentagon because they felt cheated. However, can you really stop someone from falling in love?" She continued. "They had to keep their relationship under wraps and ever since Kai and Jennie announced their relationship, many others have as well. Despite fans coming together, there have been far more fan wars as of late."

"But Kai had another girlfriend back then, didn't he?"

"Krystal," Ji-woo began to pamper my other hand. "That previous relationship wasn't received well... the boys have had crushed as well but they have been very scared of starting anything. Since they've gone international, they've been extra careful, closing off their hearts, but that shouldn't stop them. I want them to be happy, especially Hoseok. He may smile all the time but I know some days, he fakes that smile..."

My mind was circling back to what happened several hours ago when we had run into Sehun. He was very attractive... he had a nice smile and the way he always sticks out his tongue was absolutely adorable. He was tall, and his skin was like milk, and his broad shoulders...

"Ha-Neul- _ah_ ," Ji-woo snapped her fingers and I jolted slightly.

"Ah!" I made a sound and asked. " _N-Ne_?"

"Are you in la la land?" She asked. "you just went quiet for a second."

" _Gwenchana, Unnie,_ " I assured her. "I was just thinking about what you said... it makes me all the more determined to unite all of the groups and show obsessive fans we all love each other."

"You really are determined to bring everyone together, huh," she had finished her work with my nails and began putting her equipment away. "I hope it works, for everyone's sakes. And please, don't be afraid. If you fall for someone, let it happen. Don't let any fan stop you."

I gave her a single nod before looking down at my nails, each colored white with flower nail art on the ring fingers. The flower was the same color as the cover of Bangtan's most recent album. " _Gamsahamnida._ "

There was a knock on the door and Yoongi leaned against the frame, "Dinner is ready. You should eat."

"What did Jin make this time?" Ji-woo stood up and I followed suit.

"Gimbap," he answered. "Oh, Ha-Neul- _ah_. Good job with today's practice. Jin and Tae told me about it."

" _Gomaweo, Oppa_ ," I smiled at the rapper. "Has Namjoon  _Oppa_  decided which lines I'll be singing?" We made out way out of the room and into the corridor."

" _Ne,_  he'll tell you exactly what lines you'll be singing," he replied, the smell of Jin's cooking wafting into my nostrils.

"By the way," Yoongi tucked his hands into his sweatpants. "You should know that idols don't just sing and dance. You'll need to find some odd jobs."

"Eh?" I asked him and he continued speaking.

"Acting and modeling. When we aren't on tour or not singing or composing songs, make sure to do those. And Tae and Jin also told me you can't read music even though you play the piano. Starting tomorrow after practice, for one hour every day, I'll be teaching you how to read music."

"Yoongi- _ah,_ " Ji-woo held a scolding tone. "Don't be so hard on her. I swear you act like a grumpy grandpa all the time. Aren't you the lazy one who doesn't want to contribute to the choreography?"

"Hey, don't undermine me while I'm lecturing one of the  _maknaes_!" He argued.

"Don't worry,  _Oppa,_ " I spoke quickly, hoping to stop them from arguing. "I'll work hard, I promise. I know you're just looking out for me."

"Good," he said before breaking into a little smile, patting my head. "you're a lot more understanding than the others. That makes me happy."


	8. Chapter 7

My dear  _Halmeoni_ , I've been having a lot of fun lately! My music lessons with Yoongi are going very well and I've learned the choreography to both MIC Drop and Fake Love. We have a few days left until the award show, where I will be debuting.

My fingers tapped the keys as I played the piano, and Yoongi sang along, rapping on occasion. The sheet music in front of me was a song he had written--a solo he had been working on ever since I joined Bangtan, however, he hadn't given his solo a title yet and the lyrics were unfinished.

"Good job," he said, leaning forward and looking over the notes one last time. "It looks like you've got the song down. But there is one more thing I want you to do for me."

"And what is that?" I asked and he crossed his arms.

"I want you to sing it with me," he stated. "I hear you have a nice voice."

"Are you sure?" I wondered and he gave a single nod before gesturing.

"Come, let's go for a walk," he grabbed his cap and placed it on his head, throwing a jacket over his hoodie.

I stood from the piano and grabbed my coat and scarf, following him out of the house into the cold streets of Seoul. I wrapped my scarf around my neck, sighing and finding my breath visible in the air. " _Oppa_? Where are we going?"

"Somewhere," he said bluntly and I ran after him, walking beside him. I listened to the cars pass by and the sound of people conversing as they passed by. It was like any other day in Seoul it seemed, but the cloudy sky made the city seem peaceful, and some snow was falling.

Yoongi came to a stop in front of a small park, with swings, a slide, and a seesaw. He stared at the area with apathy, "Looks like there're no kids here today... it's too cold..." he turned to me and asked. "Want me to push you on the swing?"

"Sure," I walked to the swings, taking a seat and holding the chains while he came behind me, pushing me gently.

"Let me know if you want to go higher."

"Ne," I sang, chuckling as I felt the cold breeze on my skin.

We were swallowed in silence, but I found it rather comforting. The last time I was in a park was when I was a child, and that was before I went to live with  _Halmeoni_. The little town in the country didn't have a place for kids to have fun. Most of them climbed trees or played tag in the fields.

"Like this?" Yoongi asked and I answered with an affirmative nod.

"Can we play on the seesaw too?" I asked and he cocked an eyebrow.

"Play on the seesaw?" He parroted. "What are you, five?"

"I never had the chance to play on one when I was little," I recalled. "I only ever went on the swings before I lived with  _Halmeoni._ "

With a heavy exhale, Yoongi nodded and stopped the swing from going high, allowing me to get off and run to the seesaw, "What's so great about a seesaw? It just goes up and down."

"You really are like a grandpa," I giggled and he scolded me.

" _Ya_ , show some respect!"

"Come on,  _Oppa,_ " I smiled at him and sat down, grabbing the handle on my end. "it doesn't hurt to have a little fun, does it?"

"It's boring," he spoke brusquely. "It's just repeating the same thing over and over again. It's petty."

With a soft exhale, I got off of the seesaw and nodded, "Okay... no seesaw then. You can continue to push me on the swings."

I wasn't going to force into something he didn't want to do. I figured there were some things he didn't like--everyone has reasons not to like anything, but once I passed him on my way back to the swing, I felt him grip my arm, prompting me to stand in place.

"Huh?" I made a quiet sound, turning to look up at him. " _Oppa_...?"

" _Mianhe,_ " he said almost inaudibly, and he didn't meet my gaze. "I just... think people are crafty... they do me wrong, you know...? It feels dangerous, learning someone is a fake. That's why I don't like playing on the seesaw. It's the same heartache over and over again. Repeating itself endlessly."

"It's okay," I smiled at him. "Everyone has their reasons not to like something."

"Yes, but I shouldn't impose my reasons onto you," he met my gaze now, and they were melancholy. "I'm... very insecure..., especially about my looks. There have been people in other fandoms who don't like me very much. It's always like that... having to face toxic people..."

"Well," I pulled away from him. "Don't listen to what they say. You're very good looking. Just look at your skin! It's white... like sugar. I bet that's where you got the stage name Suga, right? And why you're very sweet despite that strict exterior you put on."

He furrowed his brows and turned away, rubbing the back of his neck, "Wh-Where did you hear that...?"

"It's obvious," I shrugged. " _Oppa,_  you're always sleepy and you're always cranky, but that's okay. Everyone has their flaws. That doesn't make you any less human than I am." I looked up at the clouds, snowflakes falling in my hair. "I have my flaws as well. My body may have strength now but there are time where I'm still feeling frail. I'm also extremely clumsy, naïve, oblivious, and I have bad days. Despite that, I was taught to always have confidence."

I closed my eyes, allowing myself to feel the cool air. Despite the ambiance of the city, I was beginning to feel like I was home, with  _Halmeoni_. The snowfall here wasn't so different from the country. Maybe it was because I had spilled my flaws to Yoongi, maybe it was something else entirely. Either way, I was glad to speak to him about this. I want to bring everyone together even though we are all different.

I felt his arms wrap around me, and he pulled me close to his chest. I was taken aback, for I had never hugged any of the boys before. It was comforting, and I could feel him trembling due to the cold. " _Oppa_..." I tried to speak.

"Seesaw."

I raised my brows and asked, "You... want to play on the seesaw now?"

"No," he pulled away and held my shoulders. "The name of the song, and the lyrics. I figured them out. I'm naming it Seesaw."

"Really?"

" _Ne,_ " he took a few steps back, leaving behind footprints in the snow, powder on his shoulders. "This is my song to you."

_It was a good start_   
_In itself_   
_Before I knew it, we were tired of each other_   
_In all of these meaningless emotions_

_Repeated seesaw game_   
_I'm tired of this_   
_Repeated seesaw game_   
_We're getting tired of each other_

_Were the petty arguments the start?_   
_The moment I became heavier than you_   
_Because there's never been parallels in the first place_   
_Maybe I became more greedy and tried to fit in with you_   
_Is there really a need to keep repeating ourselves_   
_Saying this was love and this is love?_   
_They're tired of each other, they seem to hold the same hand_   
_Well, then_

_Alright, a repeating seesaw game_   
_It's about time we put an end to it_   
_All right, this boring seesaw game_   
_Somebody has to get out of here_   
_Though neither of us can_

_Don't let anyone know who'll get off first_   
_Let's not drag things out, however our hearts lead us_   
_Are we getting out of here or not_   
_This repeated seesaw game_   
_We have to stop it now_

_People can be so crafty_   
_They know they'll get hurt if one person is missing_   
_Because we don't want to be the villains_   
_In the midst of a series of vague responsibilities_   
_And we get so tired or if that we finally became parallel_   
_But we didn't want this kind of parallel_

_At first, we showed off who was heavier_   
_We'd brag and smile_   
_Now we're trying to beat each other_   
_We're in a competition_   
_The fire of a quarrel_   
_It'll only end if someone gets off right here_   
_We're acting like we're comforting each other_   
_But it's mixed with thorns_   
_Can't keep doing this, we need to make a decision_

_If we didn't have feelings for each other_   
_If we didn't think of each other_   
_Would we have dragged it out like this?_   
_Now if you don't have any more feelings_   
_This seesaw is dangerous_   
_Stop thinking about me_

_Alright, a repeating seesaw game_   
_It's about time we put an end to it_   
_All right, this boring seesaw game_   
_Somebody has to get out of here_   
_Though neither of us can_

_(Hol' up Hol' up) I walk on this seesaw without you_   
_(Hol' up Hol' up) Just like the beginning when you weren't here_   
_(Hol' up Hol' up) I walk on this seesaw without you_   
_(Hol' up Hol' up) I'm getting off this seesaw without you_

_Alright, a repeating seesaw game_   
_It's about time we put an end to it_   
_All right, this boring seesaw game_   
_Somebody has to get out of here_   
_Though neither of us can_

_Don't let anyone know who'll get off first_   
_Let's not drag things out, however our hearts lead us_   
_Are we getting out of here or not_   
_This repeated seesaw game_   
_We have to stop it now_

_(Hol' up Hol' up) I walk on this seesaw without you_   
_(Hol' up Hol' up) Just like the beginning when you weren't here_   
_(Hol' up Hol' up) I walk on this seesaw without you_   
_(Hol' up Hol' up) I'm getting off this seesaw without you_

It was a pleasant beat, but the lyrics themselves were melancholy. It is about Yoongi's desire to be a good person; how neither idol nor fan wants to escape the torturous up and down of the seesaw because they understand that doing so would hurt the other.

Unfortunately, morality and being a good person is never that simple. By remaining on the seesaw they are both safe, however, they're still trapped in the never ending up and down. Although they are maintaining security, they're still suffering nonetheless.

It is the repetitive setting that's developed between the two... The relationship between idol and fan is often times toxic, and both people recognize this. They know that they need to leave each other but neither are willing or ready to do so. When you're on a seesaw, getting off is a struggle because when the one on the ground leaves, the one on the top falls due to the imbalance of weight. It could also be about the balance of life since taking someone out can disrupt it.

Yoongi won't have to be trapped on that seesaw anymore. Right now, in the middle of the park, on this snowy day, I promise him that he won't ever have to feel insecure.


	9. Chapter 8

The day had finally come for the award show. I was seated in the changing room, having put on the dress Ji-woo had made for me. It was a black skater dress with half sleeves, a white collar embroidered with red flowers and leather belt, paired with black heels. My stylist had flat ironed my hair and proceeded to do my makeup. In the mirror, I spotted the boys also dressed in outfits similar to the color scheme of my dress.

Namjoon was in a white and black jacket with an immaculate shirt, and red pants, while Jin wore an open red flannel button down with a t-shirt and black cargo pants. Yoongi was in a beanie, a red hoodie and shorts and Hoseok wore a black jacket with white stripes along the collar over a black button-down with small white and red print, and dark ripped skinny jeans. Jimin was in a blazer with a red button down and slacks, and Taehyung's outfit was similar to Yoongi's but he wore a black cap with the tongue backward and black pants. Jungkook wore a red flannel jacket with many zippers and a white t-shirt with ripped dark skinny jeans.

"Looks like we're ready," I said after thanking the stylist and leaving my chair, facing the boys, who took in my appearance. They all sucked in a breath, eyes wide before the broke into beaming grins.

"You look cute, Ha-Neul," Jimin said sweetly. "This is the first time I've seen you in a dress. You should wear them more often."

"Do you think the audience will be alright with a girl in your group?" I smiled uneasily. "I'm still a little worried..."

"Our manager did the right thing with putting you with us," Jungkook spoke. "And we aren't going to let out little sister be sad. Today is her debut and we're going to show them just how talented she is."

"You're up!" We heard someone call out from the open door and the distant cheers of the audience came from outside.

"Looks like we gotta go," Namjoon smirked before pumping a fight. "Remember: Fighting!"

"Fighting!" We all shouted before leaving the changing room and walking into the hallway.

The hall was already bursting with heat, and the audience was holding lights in their hands. We walked onto the stage, the intro music in our ears as we met the gazes of the audience. So this was what it felt like to be on stage in front of so many people. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach and up front were where other idols were seated. I spotted Red Velvet, NCT, TWICE, BLACKPINK, and even EXO. Each male was dressed in expensive suits, some just wearing vests with no shirts. As I looked each member over, my eyes landed on Sehun, who wore an all black suit with a shirt of the same color underneath. His hair was shocked back with several strands framing his face, and he too couldn't look away from my gaze.

I couldn't deny how sexy he looked. Whoever his stylist is, they did such a great job making a sweet and sincere man resonate with sex appeal. However, now wasn't the time to stare. I had to focus, listening as the crowd screamed as they welcomed me into the industry. We all got on line and introduced ourselves as the intro music continued.

"Kim Namjoon," he blew a kiss.

"Kim Seokjin!" He made finger guns.

"Min Yoongi," he posed.

"Jeon Hoseok!" He sang, warmth in his smile.

"Park Jimin," he raises his hands..

"Kim Taehyung," he winked before making a cute expression.

"Jeon Jungkook," he crosses his arms, making an okay sign.

"Cho Ha-Neul," I introduced myself before we began the opening choreography for Fake Love.

_[Intro: Ha-Neul, V, Jungkook]_   
_For you, I could pretend like I was happy when I was sad_   
_For you, I could pretend like I was strong when I was hurt_   
_I wish love was perfect as love itself_   
_I wish all my weaknesses could be hidden_   
_I grew a flower that can't be bloomed in a dream that can't come true_

_[Hook: Jimin, Jin]_   
_I'm so sick of this fake love, fake love, fake love_   
_I'm so sorry but it's fake love, fake love, fake love_

_[Verse 1: RM, RM & Jungkook, J-Hope]_   
_I wanna be a good man, just for you_   
_I gave the world, just for you_   
_I changed everything, just for you_   
_But I dunno me, Who are you?_   
_The forest just for us, you weren't there_   
_The route I took, I forgot_   
_I even became quite unsure of who I was_   
_Try babbling into the mirror, who the heck are you?_

_[Pre-Chorus: Jimin, Jin]_   
_For you, I could pretend like I was happy when I was sad_   
_For you, I could pretend like I was strong when I was hurt_   
_I wish love was perfect as love itself_   
_I wish all my weaknesses could be hidden_   
_I grew a flower that can't be bloomed in a dream that can't come true_

_[Chorus: Ha-Neul, Jungkook, V]_   
_Love you so bad, love you so bad_   
_Mold a pretty lie for you_   
_Love it's so mad, love it's so madTry to erase myself and make me your doll_   
_Love you so bad, love you so bad_   
_Mold a pretty lie for you_   
_Love it's so mad, love it's so mad_   
_Try to erase myself and make me your doll_

_[Hook: Jimin, Jin]_   
_I'm so sick of this fake love, fake love, fake love_   
_I'm so sorry but it's fake love, fake love, fake love_

_[Verse 2: RM, Suga]_   
_Why you sad? I don't know. I don't know_   
_Smile, say 'I love you'_   
_Look at me, even I gave up on myself_   
_Even you can't understand me_   
_You say I'm unfamiliar, changed into the one you used to like_   
_You say I'm not myself which you knew well_   
_No? What do you mean no? I'm blind_   
_Love? What the heck is love? It's all fake love_

_[Bridge: Jimin, Jin]_   
_Woo, I dunno, I dunno, I dunno why_   
_Woo, even I, even I don't know myself_   
_Woo, I just know, I just know, I just know why_   
_Cuz it's all fake love, fake love, fake love_

_[Chorus: Jungkook, Jimin]_   
_Love you so bad, love you so bad_   
_Mold a pretty lie for you_   
_Love it's so mad, love it's so mad_   
_Try to erase myself and make me your doll_   
_Love you so bad, love you so bad_   
_Mold a pretty lie for you_   
_Love it's so mad, love it's so mad_   
_Try to erase myself and make me your doll_

_[Hook: Ha-Neul, Jin]_   
_I'm so sick of this fake love, fake love, fake love_   
_I'm so sorry but it's fake love, fake love, fake love_

_[Outro: Jimin/V, Jungkook/Jin/Ha-Neul]_   
_For you, I could pretend like I was happy when I was sad_   
_For you, I could pretend like I was strong when I was hurt_   
_I wish love was perfect as love itself_   
_I wish all my weaknesses could be hidden_   
_I grew a flower that can't be bloomed in a dream that can't come true_

From covering our ears, mouths, and eyes, from Hoseok and Jungkook's mirror, to my and Jin interlocking our arms, reaching out up above, I felt my heart beat synchronize with the audience, and from the corner of my eyes, I found Sehun hadn't averted his intense gaze from me—not once. The choreography had come naturally to me, as if I had been a part of this group for a much longer time. It seemed people accepted me as a member of Bangtan while the confetti fell onto the stage. I smiled with content, turning to look at the  _maknae_  of EXO, my raised hand becoming a finger heart, the crowd yelling at the top of their lungs due to my gesture. Little did they know that it was meant for him.

******

Sehun was immersed in the performance, the debut of Bangtan's newest member imprinted into his memory. He had seen the choreography of Fake Love many times before but with Ha-Neul dancing with them, it breathed new life into the group, the audience and himself. Nor did he look away from her. He studied the way she moved so gracefully, heavy emotions in her gaze as she conveyed the lyrics into her choreography. From what it looked like, much like him, she focused on the emotion of the dance and song as he did.

He licked his lips, eyes drifting along her face and hair, taking in her petite frame and creamy slender legs, only to find she met his gaze once again, and she gave him a finger heart. He wasn't sure how to feel. His face flared and his pulse throbbed in his neck. The screaming crowd accepted their newest member and adored her gesture, but that gesture was meant only for him.

"Why are you so beautiful?" He muttered to himself as he watched Bangtan leave the stage.

"She's really good," Chen hummed in amazement.

"She has a beautiful voice too," Kyungsoo added.

"Looks like they've got another talented member in their group," Kai spoke proudly before standing. "Come on. We're going next." He looked toward BLACKPINK, and have Jennie some finger hearts and she laughed, returning the gesture as they made their way to the stage, the intro music playing while Bangtan took their seats in the audience.

Sehun exhaled softly, and he made sure to keep a composed expression for this show, and he wasn't going to look away from Ha-Neul. He wanted her to see what he was like on stage. He stood back to back with Kai, his piercing eyes resting on Bangtan's only female member, and he noticed the way she froze, her eyes focused solely on him.

 _Look at me. Only at me, jagi_ , Sehun thought to himself as the song began.

_[Verse 1: Baekhyun]_   
_Aiming at each other so coldly_   
_In that voice with a sharp edge_   
_It is only full of suffocating things_   
_Oh oh oh oh oh_   
_Aye ye_

_[Refrain: Chen]  
_ _With eyes covered, like that_   
_Hearts of each other that are shut tight_   
_It struggles to look away_

_[Pre-Chorus: Kai, Xiumin]_   
_Ah, burning deep inside_   
_As if it will split I am getting breathless_   
_I am thirsty_   
_Pouring this one glass full_   
_As if it will overflow_   
_This dangerous night, I_

_[Chorus: Chen, All, Kai]_   
_It's the love shot_   
_Na nanana nananana_   
_Na nanana nanana_   
_Na nanana nananana_   
_Oh oh oh oh oh_   
_It's the love shot_   
_Na nanana nananana_   
_Na nanana nanana_   
_Na nanana nananana_   
_Oh oh oh oh oh_   
_It's the love shot_

_[Verse 2: Suho]_   
_Twisted love and hate_   
_Those beautiful memories_   
_It is dyed in white_   
_Little by little it yellows away_

_[Refrain: D.O]_   
_Everyday it gets deeper, calm down_   
_Hurtful words and_   
_A darkly burned heart, where is love?_   
_Yeah yeah yeah yeah_

_[Pre-Chorus: Chanyeol, Sehun, Both]_   
_Covering my eyes and ears_   
_Though I forcefully wander, in the end the answer is love_   
_I make my empty stomach full with too much ego_   
_The compassion of one empty glass_   
_Now fill it again, lift it up, everyone_

_[Chorus: Suho, All, Xiumin]_   
_It's the love shot_   
_Na nanana nananana_   
_Na nanana nanana_   
_Na nanana nananana_   
_Oh oh oh oh oh_   
_It's the love shot_   
_Na nanana nananana_   
_Na nanana nanana_   
_Na nanana nananana_   
_Oh oh oh oh oh_   
_It's the love shot_

_[Bridge 1: D.O, Suho]_   
_People come and people go_   
_Frozen in this world, you and I_   
_The blunt emotions_   
_We are slowly getting used to it_

_[Bridge 2: Baekhyun/Sehun, Chanyeol/Sehun]_   
_My heart burns_   
_Parched, in that splitting trust_   
_I douse myself with you, filling the gaps_   
_You light fire to my flickering heart_   
_Yeah_

_[Chorus: Chen, All, Kai]_   
_It's the love shot_   
_Na nanana nananana_   
_Na nanana nanana_   
_Na nanana nananana_   
_Oh oh oh oh oh_   
_It's the love shot_   
_Na nanana nananana_   
_Na nanana nanana_   
_Na nanana nananana_   
_Oh oh oh oh oh_   
_It's the love shot_

Finger guns, the roll of their shoulders and bodies, the seduction in their voices and emotions, Sehun wasn't letting her look anywhere else. While the boys in Bangtan conversed about their performance with grins of interest, even when Jimin tried asking Ha-Neul about her thoughts on their performance, she was speechless.

That was what Sehun wanted. He wanted her to forget everything and make it seem like it was only the two of them in the concert hall. When his  _hyungs_  crouched during the pre-chorus, he stood in the middle, pointing his fingers toward Ha-Neul, as if the song was about him and her.

His heart was burning and his mouth was dry, and as the outro played, he fired another finger gun like the choreography made clear, aiming at Ha-Neul and firing. He was falling... falling for her, and he hoped she would catch him.


	10. Chapter 9

"Whoa," I remarked under my breath after EXO had finished their performance. They had such amazing visuals, and I found myself staring at Sehun. He was such a passionate dancer and when he sang his lines, I found myself wanting to hear his voice again. The audience broke into applause, screaming as our  _sunbaenim_  left the stage. Next up to perform was Red Velvet, a girl group from the same entertainment company as EXO. Their members were named Irene, Yeri, Joy, Seulgi, and Wendy, and they were positively radiant. The intro of their song played as they took their position onto the stage and Namjoon tapped my shoulder.

"Ha-Neul, we should make room. EXO is going to sit with us," he said and I gave a nod.

"Right," I moved to my right as the other boy group came to sit with us.

"Namjoon," Suho grinned widely and shook our leader's hand. "How long has it been?"

" _Hyung_ , good to see you again. What a great performance," he complimented and gestured to me. "This is our newest member, Cho Ha-Neul."

I stood up and bowed before them, " _Annyeonghaseyo._ "

" _Annyeong!_ " Xiumin chirped, eyes gleaming as he looked at me. "Yaaaaa... you're not just cute, you're beautiful! Sehun is right!"

"Huh?" I raised my brows in astonishment, cheeks flaring as I shifted my gaze toward their  _maknae_ , who turned away and rubbed the back of his neck, clearing his throat and sticking his tongue out, licking his lips. " _G-Gamsahamnida_..." I bowed again.

"Please, sit," Jin gestured and they all sat with us. I tensed as I noticed Sehun take a seat beside me, and I caught the slightest of blushes on his cheeks. It seemed he was rather shy when he wasn't on stage. The free strands of hair that fell along his face covered his eyes and he rested his elbows on his thighs, folding his hands.

" _Annyeong,_ " I said to him, giving him a smile and he met my gaze, returning the smile and nodding in response. "How is Vivi?" I asked.

"Good," he answered. 

"I really liked your performance," I continued. "You're a great dancer and singer."

"Same with you," he replied. "it was like you've been with them from the start. The choreography was natural and... you also focus on the emotions of the dance."

I tilted my head to the side in wonder, "How did you know?"

"Because I do the same thing," his face was blank no longer, and his gaze became soft. "Technique is good but if you want to understand the song, you put the emotions in the lyrics into the choreography."

"Ha-Neul," Baekhyun grabbed a champagne glass and handed it to me. "Would you like some?"

" _Gomaweo, sunbae_ ," I accepted the glass, looking at the fizzing liquid.

"Please, call me  _Oppa,_ " he urged. "We're friends now. You call all of that."

" _Ne... Oppa_ ," I wasn't so sure if it was okay to call them that, but one look at the other members and they seemed content with it.

"Lay  _hyung_  couldn't make it to the performance?" Taehyung asked and Kyungsoo shook his head with a sad smile on his lips.

"He left for the military," he sipped his champagne glass. "We'll be heading for military duty in a few years..."

"Where are you from, Ha-Neul?" My attention turned to Chen.

"I lived outside of Seoul with my  _Halmeoni_ , in the countryside," I answered.

" _Jinjjah_?" Kai raised his brows. "Because you don't seem like a country girl at all!"

"My  _Halmeoni_  is from Seoul, that's why," I continued. "She used to be a singer before she moved to the country for a quieter life. She taught me everything I know but there are still a few things I have to learn."

"You have great vocals," Chanyeol remarked with a smirk. "You should put out some solo songs when you have free time."

"I intend to do just that," I giggled. "once I learn how to compose a song, you guys will be the first to hear it."

"Here that, Sehun- _ah_?" Kyungsoo slapped his shoulder gently. "She's going to let you hear her song first."

I caught the smallest of smiles on his thin lips before he turned his attention back to the performance.

Hours later, after each group held their performance, it was time for the hosts to announce the group that had the best performance that night. Each group was on stage, the rookies standing at the far end while the rest were on the other side. EXO stood beside us, waiting patiently for the results, and the hosts opened the card.

"Bangtan!" they exclaimed and I gasped, looking to the boys and squealing. 

"We did it!" Jin threw his arms around me and gave me the tightest hug. 

"Don't celebrate just yet," Yoongi droned. "We haven't won the other award shows yet..."

"Live a little,  _hyung_!" Jungkook joined in on the hug and Namjoon stepped up, accepting the award on behalf of the group before shouting into the mic.

"ARMY!" he listened to the audience scream in response before speaking. "Thank you so much for this award. We wouldn't have earned it without your support! We love you, ARMY, and thank you for graciously welcoming our newest member into our group."

I waved at the audience before giving them some finger hearts, and I spoke into the mic, "It's a pleasure to meet you, ARMY! Thank you for having me! I promise to work hard and make you and Bangtan proud!"  _Halmeoni_ , do you see me right now? I'm on stage and I'm here because of you.  _Gamsahamnida, Halmeoni_. I'm going to make you proud to have a granddaughter like me.

"Congratulations," Suho said to us and we bowed before him and the rest of the members of EXO. "Ha-Neul definitely stole the show."

"Once again, welcome to the industry," Kyungsoo smiled in my direction.

"Are you Ha-Neul?"

A voice came from behind me and I found the members of Red Velvet standing before me. They had affectionate looks in their eyes and Wendy walked up to me, holding my hands in hers, "Oh, you're such a cutie! Congratulations on your debut!"

"I hope we can become great friends!" Irene spoke now, nodding her head vigorously. 

"We're your  _Unnies_  now," Seulgi stepped up. "We're good friends with Ji-woo. She told us to take care of you if you ever want to get away from these  _hyungs_." She grinned teasingly toward Bangtan and EXO.

"We'll protect you from haters as well," Yeri added. "It's a good thing you're in a boy group. You won't have to face a lot of girl group drama."

"If you need anything, just ask," Joy said before looking to the boys behind me. "Are you guys doing anything after the show? Do you think we can join you?"

"We're not doing anything," Kai shook his head, tucking his hands into his pockets. "But if you want to make plans, we're down."

"I'd love for all of us to hang out, if that's okay with you," I looked between them and Jin hummed in contemplation before giving a single nod. 

"Then let's all hang out! EXO, Bangtan, and Red Velvet."

" _Noona_  and Yeon-hee  _noona_  should be waiting for us," Hoseok said. "Kai  _hyung_ , will Jennie be joining us too?"

"I will be," Jennie had left the rest of the girls in BLACKPINK, making her way toward us before meeting my eyes. "Congratulations on your debut, Ha-Neul. I look forward to seeing future performances with you."

" _Gomaweo, Unnie_ ," I bowed before her, holding my hands in front of me. "Shall we head out?"

"Let's!" Xiumin exclaimed with joy and we made our way off of the stage.

I descended the steps, the girls of Red Velvet staying close beside me and breaking into giggles and amiable conversation. They were the sweetest girls I had ever met and it seemed in addition to Ji-woo, I had gained five older sisters.

******

"Chan  _oppa_!" the girl standing beside Ji-woo waved toward Chanyeol. She had a round face with pink cheeks, and her brown hair was tied into a bun. She wore a white coat over her pink dress. I found her to be rather cute. She must be very close with the rapper of EXO. "You did great tonight!"

" _Gomaweo_ ," he smirked, leaning in to press a kiss to her forehead. I came to the conclusion that they were dating.

"You all did great," Ji-woo said before she looked to the girls of Red Velvet, "and I take it you've met Ha-Neul?"

"We did," Seulgi answered. "you were right. She is the cutest little thing I've ever seen."

"Looks like we're going to be spoiling her rotten," Joy said mischievously. "We've always wanted a little sister to dress in cute clothes and scold when she's crushing on a really bad boy!"

Chanyeol turned away from his girlfriend and faced me, "Ha-Neul, this is Yeon-hee, my childhood friend and girlfriend."

"Y-You're the newest member of Bangtan!" She choked, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of pink. "I-It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"Likewise,  _Unnie_ ," I replied. "You're very cute. I can tell you take very good care of Chanyeol  _oppa_."

"Your face is turning red again," he teased, pushed a finger against her cheek and she pouted, pressing her hand against her face.

"Oh no! M-My face--!" She whined. "The last time this happened was when you moved back into your  _Hal-abeoji's_ house!"

"So, what should we do?" Taehyung asked. "Eat and drink?"

"Korean barbeque and hot pot!" Chen raised a hand. "Let's go all out tonight!"

"I agree with Chen  _hyung,_ " Namjoon said. "let's do some damage tonight. We won't be able to hang out like this until the next award show."

"Drinks are on Suho  _hyung_ ," Sehun called said, which prompted Suho to cock an eyebrow. 

"You never pay!"

"Because I'm the  _maknae_ ," Sehun counter with a mischievous smirk.

"Onward!" Jimin pouted outward and everyone began to walk down the street before I heard my phone go off in my bag.

I opened my clutch and saw  _Halmeoni's_  number on the screen. I looked to my seniors and told them, "I have to take this. You go on without me."

"Is everything alright?" Jungkook asked and I gave him an assuring nod.

"My  _Halmeoni_  is calling. She must have seen the award show."

"One of us should stay with you," Wendy said. "We wouldn't want you getting lost."

"Sehun is staying with her," Hoseok said quickly.

"Huh?" he asked and Suho smirked, patting his arm. Sehun exhaled and puffed out his cheeks for several moments before nodding. "Alright. I'll stay with her."

"We'll text you the restaurant's location," Yoongi said. "Keep her safe alright?"

"Of course," he said before he watched the others leave, and Sehun and I were left standing alone on the sidewalk.

I placed the phone to my ear and answered, " _Yeoboseyo, Halmeoni_?"

"Ha-Neul?" I heard her kind voice. "I just saw the award show! I'm so proud of you! I'm happy those  _hyungs_  have been taking such good care of you. They seem to love you a lot."

" _Gomaweo_ ," I replied, holding onto the strap of my clutch. "it's because of you that we earned that award. You inspired me to become an idol after all."

"I know you're going to go very far," she laughed. "now, are you eating properly? Are you getting enough sleep?"

" _Ne, Halmeoni_ ," I nodded even though she couldn't see me. "Jin  _oppa_  is making sure I eat well and Ji-woo  _unnie_  made very comfortable sheets for me to sleep with."

"Good, good," she sighed with relief. "you keep smiling, hmm? Bless your sweet heart."

"I'll visit you soon," I assured her. "I miss you so much."

"I miss you too," she replied and I heard that underlying loneliness in her tone despite the joy in her words. "And bring those handsome  _hyungs_  with you when you come home! I want to make them a meal as thanks for keeping you happy and healthy."

" _Ne_ ,  _annyeong_!" I sang and the call ended. I tucked my phone into my bag, traces of homesickness stinging at my heart. I have lived in Seoul for less than a month and I already felt like it had been far too long since I had seen her. I could feel the tears in my eyes but I blinked them away, turning to face Sehun, who waited patiently for me to end the call, his hands tucked into his black coat. "Shall we?"

He turned to me and nodded, and we walked down the street in silence. I listened as cars passed through the streets, music playing in the small convenience stores. The silence was becoming awkward and I wasn't sure what to do. Even so, I tried speaking up, looking toward the older group's  _maknae_ , " _Oppa_...?"

"Hmm?" He asked, dark eyes resting me. "What is it?"

I furrowed my brows and gave a little bow, " _Mianhe_... you had to stay with me in the freezing cold..."

"It's alright," I saw the corners of his lips tug into a soft smile. "I wouldn't have left you to stand in the cold alone, and we'll be indoors soon anyway," he stared straight as we walked. "How is your  _Halmeoni_?"

"She's doing well," I replied. "She was ecstatic about the award show."

"You did very well," he chuckled. "you deserved it."

"You did a great job too," I urged. "You put a lot of effort into your choreography. I couldn't look away. It makes me want to work harder."

"Don't work too hard," he warned me. "or your _Halmeoni_  will worry."

"That's true," I agreed before I noticed he had come to a stop. I turned around and tilted my head in inquiry, wondering why he had stopped walking. " _Gwenchanayo_?"

He answered with a nod before asking, "If it's alright with you... would you like to visit Vivi sometimes? He really likes you... and... it would make me happy as well... if you came to see me..." there was a soft blush on his milky white skin and I could feel my own heat on my cheeks as well. 

"U-Um," I stammered, looking at my feet. "S-Sure... I would love to..."

"Ah, that makes me happy," he breathed and I raised my head again, wondering if I had heard him correctly, but before I could do anything, his tall figure glided across the pavement and closed the distance between us.

My eyes widened as his large, calloused hands cupped my face and I felt his soft lips press against mine. I made a surprised sound, my heart pushing against my chest. I felt like I was melting, and all sound seemed to disappear, the world becoming empty with just the two of us left standing. He tasted so sweet, and I could smell the musky scent of his cologne-- _A &F Ferrari_, I believe. His eyelashes were long and dark, and I caught the softness of eyeliner along them.

I closed my eyes, giving into his touch and kissing him back. Just what had gotten into me? I didn't even know him for too long and we're already kissing each other? Despite these thoughts reeling in my head, I didn't dare pull away... because deep down, I felt the same way.


	11. Chapter 10

Sehun didn't have to think twice. He always told himself that he wouldn't make the first move unless he believed it to be true love, and in this case, it was. She stumbled over his train of thought, had his heart in her hands, and all in the span of less than a month. He closed the distance between them and pressed his lips against Ha-Neul's small ones, his hands cupping her cheeks as he tasted her. His fingers ran through the soft tendrils of her brown hair, and he inhaled her scent. She smelled like apple blossoms on a warm spring day, and it caused his heart to race in his chest, cheeks glaring as he pulled away, licking his lips to taste the still lingering sweetness from her mouth.

He stared at her flushed expression, her lips parted and her brown eyes wide. He could hear her breathing ever so softly, her hands still at her sides. She began to stutter, blinking when she had realized what happened. She raised her fingers to her lips in shock, as if she still felt that pleasurable tingling, " _Oppa_..." she tried speaking and he grabbed her hand.

"Let's go," he began to walk, dragging her with him, and she followed, catching up with him and walking beside him, her gaze resting on the pavement as she felt his grip tighten on her hand ever so slightly. A smile tugged onto his lips as he felt her close her other hand along his grip while leaning into him.

The restaurant was just a few feet away, and Sehun caught a glimpse of their friends already seated inside, ordering drinks while they went about putting in orders for their food. He opened the door and gestured with the tilt of his head, "Go on in..."

Still averting her eyes, Ha-Neul walked inside, and she made her way toward the others.

"Ha-Neul- _ah_!" Jimin patted the space between him and Joy. "I save you a seat."

She bowed thankfully, walking toward her spot and taking a seat, and Joy wasted no time taking her bag.

"I'll put this to the side. You just get comfortable," she fixed her skirt as she sat down and Ha-Neul nodded.

"We just ordered," Chen spoke. "Was everything alright? You seem quiet."

"Yeah, everything is alright," Ha-Neul raised her head and met his gaze. "I was just feeling homesick."

Sehun knew that wasn't it at all. She was still shocked by their kiss. He knew things would settle between them over time. He placed his elbows on the table, his chin resting on his hand as he looked at the newest member of Bangtan, softness in his eyes.

"It seems we live close by," Suho said to Namjoon. "Chanyeol's  _Hal-abeoji's_  house is only a few blocks away. Think we can come by?"

"You're always welcome to," Bangtan's leader said. "How long has it been since you started living there?"

"Almost four years, if I'm not mistaken," Kyungsoo replied.

"Remember when Yeon-hee was spying on us on our first night there?" Baekhyun gently slapped Sehun's arm to grab his attention and the  _maknae_  jolted before answering.

"Uh, yeah, yeah, yeah," he answered before clearing his throat. "We were bored out of our mind after Kai  _hyung_  sent a video call. I was laying back on the couch when I saw her through the window."

"And then you decided to ruin her innocence," Kyungsoo cut in.

Yeon-hee began to whimper, her cheeks turning red again, "Why are you telling her all that?!"

"What, it was funny!" Baekhyun laughed before continuing the story for Ha-Neul, who seemed very intrigued. "So, I jumped on top of Sehun and we pretended to make out! We asked Kyungsoo if he wanted to make it a threesome but he wasn't being any fun."

"Eh?" Ha-Neul made a quiet sound, pressing a hand to her mouth. "Y-You what?"

"Yaaaaaaaaaa!" Yeon-hee exclaimed as she put her hands on her cheeks. "Don't talk about that, please! I didn't mean to spy on you guys!"

" _Ya_ ," Irene slapped Baekhyun's arm. "Stop picking on her!"

"She shouldn't have spied on us, then we wouldn't be telling this story," Chanyeol teased.

" _Oppa!_ " his girlfriend whined, her face turning even redder before turned abruptly, her eyes fixated in Ha-Neul's direction. " _Ya_ , Ha-Neul- _ah_!"

" _N-Ne_?" she stammered, frozen in place.

She stood up from her chair, cheeks flushed pink as she pointed a finger at her, "If Bangtan ever plays a prank on you, tell me, and I will beat their asses!"

"U-Uh," she made a confused sound and chuckled nervously.

"Come now, we don't do anything like that," Jimin raised his hand and stroked Ha-Neul's cheek with the back of his fingers affectionately. "Ha-Neul is far too innocent for that stuff."

"We will, however," Taehyung pointed out. "not stop flirting with each other. Jungkook and I do it all the time. It's all in good fun!"

"Yes, it's all just a game," the youngest male smiled mischievously and wriggled his eyebrows.

" _Aigoo_ , you boys will be the death of us," Wendy scowled playfully. "What are we going to do with you?"

"They won't have to do anything," Jennie crossed her arms and leaned back, Kai's arm wrapped around her. "I'll just whip Kai into shape."

"I-I'm not like that, you know," his profile held embarrassment, and he waved a hand shyly.

Ha-Neul found herself laughing, her hand over her mouth again, and Sehun broke into a soft smile. That was the first time he had ever heard her laugh. It seemed she didn't mind the antics of her seniors and he decided he should start acting like himself the next time he is with her. He didn't look like it up front but he was actually a very playful and lively person, especially when he was around the people closest to him. He continued to listen to his hyungs and noonas, as well as the younger members, and Ha-Neul broke into more laughter. He found he liked how it sounded. She sounded so sweet and cute, almost like a fairy. For a moment, he wondered if they really did exist.

 _What a cute little doll you are, jagi_ , he thought to himself.  _I want to hear you laugh again._

******

**_(Ha-Neul's PoV)_ **

I stared at the ceiling, laying in bed as I recalled the night before. It was all so magical, and I couldn't be any happier to have won that award with the rest of Bangtan. I even got to meet EXO and Red Velvet and all of their contact information was on my phone. The idols I have admired for the longest time are my friends now--no--my family. They were all so kind and considerate, and they did their best to make me feel at home. I couldn't ask for anything better in people who have become my older siblings.

My thoughts wandered toward Sehun then, and the kiss we shared. I wanted to kiss him again. I wanted to learn everything about him. From the stories Suho and Baekhyun told me last night, he seemed so different from that usual blank expression he wore. He was playful deep down.

I turned to look at the dresser beside my bed, the light of my phone visible in the early morning darkness. Twitter notifications were blowing up and so were several comments from Vlive. ARMY was still talking about the show last night it seemed. I sat up and grabbed my phone, unlocking it and reading through the tweets.

_Did you see Ha-Neul unnie?! She's an absolute goddess!_

_Her performance looked so natural! It's like she was already a member of BTS!_

_She's absolutely beautiful!_

_Her vocals are on point!_

_The baby sister of Bangtan! That's what she is!_

_Does that make her maknae?_

_Technically yes, but she wanted the title of Golden Maknae to stay with Jungkook._

_Still part of the maknae line though, but either way, she the sweetest! Letting Jungkook oppa keep his title like that!_

Warmth spread through my body as I read through such positive comments. There was that underlying fear that I may have tainted Bangtan's image since all groups are homogenous, but it seems ARMY has accepted me.

I heard the soft breathing of Ji-woo coming from her bed. It seemed she was still asleep, curled up in her sheets and smiling with content. She must be just as happy as I am and the boys as well. I can only imagine how proud she felt when she looked at Hoseok last night.

I stretched my arms above my head and yawned, carefully leaving my bed and neatly folding the sheets before silently leaving the room. I made my way to the washroom to freshen up and then descended the stairs, walking toward the kitchen, where I spotted Jin and Jungkook.

"A _nnyeong_ ," I said as I sat on the counter.

"Oh! Ha-Neul- _ah_!  _Annyeong_!" Jungkook said from beside me. "Did you sleep okay?"

"I did," I replied before the delicious scent of breakfast filled my nostrils. I watched as Jin moved around the kitchen, and I began to realize why fans called his broad shoulders "worldwide." Staring at them while he cooked must have made the hearts of many girls throb. "Jin _oppa_ , do you need help?"

"And ruin your pretty little hands?" Jin looked his shoulder, smiling at her affectionately. "You just sit there and let  _Eomma_  cook for you."

Taehyung came downstairs now, yawning and rubbing his eyes, an adorable sleepy look on his face, " _Annyeong_..." He sang, taking a seat to my left before resting his head on my shoulder, giggling.

" _Annyeong,_ " I patted his head before I heard my phone go off. I raised my brows and stared at the screen, finding Sehun's number. Was he also awake at this time? I opened the notification and read his text.

_Mianhe. You're probably still asleep right now but I wanted to tell you--I want to see you today. Can we meet up?_

"Who is it?" Jungkook asked.

"Sehun  _oppa_ ," I answered sincerely. "He says he wants to hang out... is... that okay?"

"We have nothing to do today so you might as well," Jin placed breakfast on the table before knowing on Taehyung's head gently. " _Ya_ , wake up! Breakfast is ready! Yoongi is the one who is supposed to be sleepy, not you!"

" _Hyungnim_ ," Taehyung whined cutely before pulling his head away from my shoulder. He stuck his bottom lip out before grabbing a fork.

"Eat up and get ready to go see him," Jin patted my head. "I'm sure he'll be happy to see you."

" _Ne_ ," I giggled, grabbing a butter knife and cream cheese, spreading it over my bagel. I wasted no time sending the  _maknae_  of EXO a reply.

_I'd love to meet up._

******

About an hour later, I had left the house, dressed in a grey coat, a blue sweater paired with jean leggings and heels. I took my phone out of my clutch, adjusting the strap on my shoulder as I made my way through the city, walking toward the location where Sehun was waiting for me. I found him standing near a bench, the bare trees behind him as he took in the cold winter air. I swallowed and put my phone away, walking toward him and taking him in. He was in a black turtleneck and a coat of the same color, with black pants and shoes. He seemed to love the color black from what I can tell.

" _Oppa_ ," I called out gently and he turned toward me, his gaze softening as he broke into a smile.

" _Annyeong_ ," he replied and closed the distance between us. "I hope I didn't wake you."

"Not at all," I shook my head. "You text me just as I was about to have breakfast. It was perfect timing."

He nodded slowly before furrowing his thick brows, looking to the side. I caught the slightest of blushes on his cheeks. " _Gwenchanayo_?" I asked and he replied quickly.

"Can I hug you?"

"Eh?" I stared at him. Just yesterday, he was acting very shy but now, he was opening up. It seemed he wanted to open up to me. "Um, s-sure..."

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his warm chest, burying his face in my shoulder. My cheeks flared and reluctantly, I wrapped my arms around his torso, breathing in his scent and cologne.

" _Jagi_ ," he murmured. "Come with me to the modeling agency today. I don't want to go alone."

I raised my brows. Did he just call me...? I pulled away from him and looking to his dark eyes, giving an affirmative nod, "A-Alright. I'll go with you. Are you modeling?"

He pouted and nodded, "Baekhyun  _hyung_  didn't want to go with me today."

"Aw," I chuckled and patted his arm. "Let's get going then. I wouldn't want you to be alone either."

We walked across the street and toward the building, where several stylists were waiting for by the door.

"Sehun- _sshi_! You're late!" The middle-aged woman scolded him. "Hurry, you should have been ready for this photo shoot half an hour ago!"

" _Gamsahamnida_ ," he bowed and spoke sincerely as they proceeded to usher him into the dressing room where they began to style his hair and touch up his face with makeup. I took off my coat, taking a seat and watching as he began to play with his phone and they did their job.

I chuckled to myself as I watched him make cute faces while he scrolled through Instagram, and another stylist came up to me. She had frizzy brown hair pulled up into a high ponytail and an innocent round face with berets in her hair. She was dressed in a a floral print blouse with ripped skinny jeans and heels. "Excuse me? Are you Ha-Neul? From Bangtan?"

" _Ne_ ," I answered. "It's nice to meet you."

"A pleasure to meet you as well!" She spoke with excitement. "You're so beautiful! I would love for you to model for us soon! Our clothes would look stunning on you!"

"Maybe next time," I said. "I'm just here to support Sehun  _oppa_."

" _Jinjjah_?!" She got on her knees in front of me. "Are you two dating?!"

"Uh," I wasn't sure how to answer that. I know we kissed last night and he hugged me when we met before, but... was there even a label to our relationship? "He's just a good friend. Bangtan introduces me to him and EXO last night at the award show."

"Ha-Neul- _ah_!"

I heard that familiar angelic voice and turned my attention toward the other side of the room, where I spotted Jungkook, dressed in a white satin shirt and skinny jeans of the same color, paired with a blue leather jacket and white flowers along the collar. His hair was a nice mess and it gave him a more boyish appearance, and he wore eyeliner.

" _Oppa_ , you're here too," I stood up. "Are you modeling as well?"

"Yup," he smiled and tucked his hands into his pockets. "If I had known you and Sehun  _hyung_ were going to be here, I would have tagged along."

"I didn't know he would bring me here either, to be honest," I giggled, looking back at EXO's youngest member, who now wore a white button down and slacks, his hair slicked back and I caught the small widow's peak at the center of his hairline. It was so easily hidden when his bangs fall on his forehead, and I found it to be very cute.

"He's looking good though," Jungkook remarked. "we're also short a female model. She called in sick with the flu, and there is no one else to fill her spot."

"You should fill it in, Ha-Neul!" the stylist urged. "Please! Y-You would be perfect for the job!"

"Me?" I looked between them, waving my hands. "I—I've never modeled for clothing before s-so... I'm not sure I'll be fit for the job..."

"Nonsense," the stylist said as she grabbed my hand. "Come! I'll get you ready! I know just the thing for you!"

Before I knew it, I was seated in front of a mirror, and my hair was being pulled while a makeup artist handled my face. A white knitted sweater and light denim shorts were picked out for me. The stylist specifically said it was made for my legs and that I should show them off like I did at the award show.

When they had finished, I was told to join Sehun, who was already posing before the camera, his gaze sensual and mysterious. He looked so sexy with that look on his face and I found my heart was racing again.

"Miss Cho, please step into the shot," the photographer gestured and I nodded, walking toward the tall male, who wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close. I made a surprised sound before looking toward the photographer, catching Jungkook behind him, giving me a thumbs up while wriggling his brows suggestively.

"Really?" I murmured and the photographer commanded.

"Hold each other!"

I had no choice but to comply, raising my arms and wrapping them around Sehun, and he pressed his nose to my cheek, his breath on my neck causing me to shudder.

"Good!" The photographer snapped pictures. "Sexier!"

I pulled away slightly and bit my lip, looking slightly to toward the middle of the room.

"Hold pose!"

The camera flash went off several times and Sehun's hands looked over my hips. I was had to keep my composure. I couldn't reveal anything. For now, what was going on between us had to remain a secret.


	12. Chapter 11

"That's enough for today," the photographer said and I pulled away from Sehun's lap, his fingers brushing against the sleeve of my sweater and looking along the skin of my hand.

Jungkook was next to take pictures for the magazine, prompting Sehun to stand firm the chair and allow Jungkook to side. He rubbed the younger male's shoulder as a gesture of good luck and I went to grab my phone from my bag.

"Good job today, Ha-Neul!" The stylist said cheerfully and I bowed before her once, watching her skip toward the door and head out of the room.

" _Jagi_ ," Sehun sang from behind me and I faced him.

"Hm?" I asked and he tucked his hands into his slacks.

"Are you doing anything later?" He asked, smiling a bit. "I was wondering if you'd like to grab lunch."

I held my phone close and shook my head, "I'm not doing anything. I'd love to grab lunch with you."

"Oh? Ha-Neul- _ah_!" another voice called out and I found Joy making her way into the room.

" _Unnie_ ," I addressed her and she laughed, throwing her arm around her and pinching my cheek. Her blonde hair was in a high ponytail and she wore red lipstick with a yellow shirt, shorts, a jacket, and converse.

"We're a year apart, you know! You don't have to call me  _Unnie_ ," she turned her gaze toward Sehun. " _Annyeong_ , Sehun  _oppa_!" She raised a hand toward the other side of the room, shouting. "Kookie  _oppa_!"

" _Annyeong_!" Jungkook called out, waving a hand wildly before returning to the pose he took moments ago.

"Are you here to model too?" I asked and she nodded vigorously.

"You know it! It seems the three of you finished your job before I even got here," she sighed heavily.

" _Oppa_  and I were going to grab lunch after this," I began. "I was also going to ask Jungkook  _oppa_  if he wants to join. How about you?" I stopped speaking, quickly turning to Sehun, wincing. " _Mianhe_... I should have asked you first..."

"It's fine," he waved a hand. "for now, it's best if others are with you."

"Especially since we don't want a scandal a day after your debut," Joy added. "Dating has become more lenient but still. Better to be safe than sorry, right?"

" _Ne_ ," I agreed even though the image of kissing Sehun last night was burned into my thoughts. It didn't matter if there was a scandal or not because we had acted impulsively already.

******

Once the photoshoot had ended, the four of us were heading for the nearest restaurant in the area, and I listen as Joy and Jungkook spoke to each other with excitement. They were discussing the next award show that was in the coming weeks.

"We're going to Yunokawa!" Joy raised her arms and shouted with glee. "Ah, it's been so long since I went to Japan! Ha-Neul- _ah_ , can you speak Japanese?"

"I can," I answered, tucking my hands into my pockets. " _Halmeoni_  taught me Japanese and English. She went to music school in Japan and performed in America for several years. She thought it was essential I learned if I wanted to succeed as an idol."

"What is the topic for the next award show?" Jungkook wondered.

"A summer-themed song," she answered. "It can be in either English, Korean, Japanese or Mandarin. It can even be a cover song, but we aren't singing a group this time around. We have to partner up with one of the people in our group. We haven't even started working on our songs yet!"

"We haven't either so you're not alone," I chuckled.

"Chanyeol  _hyung_  and I have already begun," Sehun said as we found the restaurant.

"You boys always start early," Joy remarked with a grin. "I can't wait to hear what you guys will be doing. Oh, and Ha-Neul," she spun, her hair falling over her shoulders. "since we don't have assigned cottages, how about you stay with me and the girls? You don't want to sleep in the same room with seven other men. That's not proper."

"Right," I hummed to myself. "Ji-woo is not coming with us." That meant I wouldn't have a roommate, so it made sense to bunk with the girls in Red Velvet.

"I agree," Jungkook spoke up, grabbing the door. "Obviously, Ji-woo is living with us so it makes sense she stays in the same room as you but she won't be with us. You should stay with Joy and the others when you're there."

I nodded and stepped inside the restaurant, my phone vibrating in my clutch again. I pulled it out, raising my brows at the amount of Twitter notifications that blew up on the screen.

" _Gwenchanayo_?" Sehun asked from behind me and I answered quickly.

" _Ne_... sorry, I have to take this," I made my way through the restaurant, passing the tables and chairs, moving away from the waiters and waitresses before finding the ladies' room. I closed the door behind me, the smell of hand sanitizer and perfume in the air. I watched as some applied makeup in front of the mirror or brush their teeth with a disposable toothbrush. Walking into an empty stall, I opened the notifications, scrolling through the most recent tweets.

_Ha-Neul is a queen! She's going to go far in the next few years!_

_Her stylist did a great job with her look last night!_

_Are you blind? She's no idol! She's just trying to get close to Bangtan!_

I wasn't sure if I read that right. I narrowed my eyes, scrolling through several more tweets. There was obviously going to be hate comments here and there. I wasn't going to be on everyone's nice list.

_Whoa, chill! We all have our opinions but there's no need to spread hate!_

_Yeah, what has Ha-Neul ever done to you?! She's very sweet!_

_She's trying to steal Jungkook oppa! HE'S MINE!_

_We all have crushes on idols but there is no way we can ever be with them!_

_Shut the fuck up! She has no right being in the same group like them! I'll kill her myself if she thinks of getting close to Jungkook oppa!_

I pressed a hand to my mouth, the color draining from my face as I read through the death threat once more. This was one of those obsessive fans--ones who don't tolerate anyone else but themselves to be with their favorite idols.

_I HOPE YOU'RE READING THIS CHO HA-NEUL! I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU GET CLOSE TO JUNGKOOK OPPA!_

_I WILL KILL YOU!_

_I WILL KILL YOU!_

_I WILL KILL YOU!_

I inhaled deeply, leaving the stall and tucking my phone into my bag, those words reeling through my head. When I exited the ladies' room, I found my friends seated near the wide window, Jungkook raising his head and waving toward me.

I put on my best smile and walked toward the table, taking a seat beside Jungkook as the waiter came by. He was tall, with brown hair and had a lanky build, and he was dressed in a white button down with a dark apron and jeans.

"What can I get you?"

"Mapo tofu," Sehun ordered for himself.

"Bibimbap," I went next.

Jungkook looked up from the paper menu, "Pork soup rice."

"Dakgangjeong," Joy said last. "And we'd like some beer as well."

"Beers, got it. Your order will be ready shortly," he bowed once before leaving.

"Ha-Neul?" Sehun's voice grabbed my attention. "Are you sure you're okay? Your face is pale."

"I'm perfect," I assured him before I heard my phone vibrating in my bag again. It seemed that person was still sending dead threats. I didn't want to look at it. The last thing I wanted was to worry the others.

"Isn't that your phone?" Joy pointed to my bag.

"I can answer those texts later," I laughed it off but I knew I wasn't the best liar.

While Sehun and Joy shrugged it off, Jungkook didn't seem too convinced, but he decided to leave it be once our beers had arrived at the table.

Death threats are common when one becomes an idol. I just have to deal with it. There's nothing I can do when it comes to the opinions of obsessive fans.


	13. Chapter 12

"I am full!" Joy spun around, giggling and smiling at us. "We should totally hang out again next time!"

 

"We definitely should," Jungkook agreed. "Are you heading home now?"

 

"Yup," she replied. "Yeri and I have to work on our song for the show."

 

"In that case, we should head back too," I said.

 

"I need to head to the convenience store first," he told me. "I have to buy some hot cocoa ingredients for Tae _hyung_. You can go home without me."

 

"I'll walk her home," Sehun spoke up now. "I'm heading in the same direction anyway."

 

"Alright then," Jungkook crosses his arms. "Great seeing you guys today. Ha-Neul- _ah_ , be careful when you go home."

 

"Okay," I smiled and Joy waved with both hands.

 

" _Annyeong_!" She sang before walking away, and Jungkook went in the other direction, leaving me and Sehun standing in the middle of the pavement.

 

"Shall we?" I asked.

 

"Let's get going," he gestured with the tilt of his head and we walked in the direction of home. The streets were quieter as we reached the neighborhood and the sounds of my phone vibrating continued. I had to go into my bag and turn off my phone to take my mind off the death threats that had been sent.

 

Just as I was about to turn onto the next street, Sehun's arms wrapped around him from behind, and I exclaimed when he pulled me to the side, his face buried in my shoulder as pressed me close. I found he had pulled us between a car and some shrubbery to make us less conspicuous.

 

"U-Um," I tensed in his arms. "H-How is this being discreet...?" I asked him carefully and I heard his laughing into my coat.

 

"Are you shy?" He countered with his own question.

 

"You are too," I quipped, cheeks flaring once again. "But still, people will see us..."

 

"Not if we're here," he pulled away from me slightly, the dark pools that were his eyes unwavering, and his fingers stroked my fringe. " _Jagi_..."

 

This wasn't helping at all. He was just so close and this tight space made it harder to escape. Hearing his quiet voice, feeling his fingers as they looked over the skin of my forehead, his breath on my ear—it was enough to make me melt.

 

Before I could speak, his lips had already found mine and I gasped, the taste of beer still lingering as he kissed me with his whole mouth. He cradled the back of my head with his hand, his other arm circling around the small of my back. I couldn't breath and I felt my knees buckle.

 

I pushed him back, gasping for air and collapsing against him, my face buried in his chest. Getting weak from a kiss... was that normal?

 

"So," he muttered into my ear. "Let's make it official. We both want each other, right? I'll be your boyfriend."

 

"Boyfriend," I repeated, pulling away and staring at him. "We only shared a kiss last night and hanging out was taking a job at the modeling agency and having lunch. Also, I know nothing about you."

 

"You'll know very soon," he spoke teasingly, chuckling. "I'm not one to make a move on a girl unless I feel a connection, and I definitely feel one with you. I've never dated any girls and I know for a fact you've never dated any other men. Fans be damned, I want to go out with you, even if we have to be discreet about it."

 

"Stupid!" I slapped his arm, and that caused him to laugh. "Connection?! That's crazy!"

 

"You've felt it too," he argued, laughing harder, and I couldn't deny that he was right. I did feel it. There was something going on between us and there was no chance in denying it. "I like you, jagi. So please, be my girlfriend. I know this is sudden but I promise I'll make you happy."

 

I was afraid—afraid that we were going to be exposed especially since I had just debuted, but a part me wanted this just as much as he did. I found myself giving in, and I have a single nod, "Okay... I'll be your girlfriend. But... promise me that this stays discreet."

 

"I promise you it will," he held my arms, assurance in his eyes. "We won't reveal our relationship until the time is right. I know it's not going to be easy... especially since you're very honest... but you've debuted and the last thing you want is for Bighit to lose money."

 

" _Gomaweo_ ," I looked down, my hand pressed against his chest, and he pulled me into another hug, pressing a kiss to my hair.

 

"Just know that from now on, I'm going to be very clingy," he whispered into my ear and I tensed, smiling uneasily. It seemed he was the type of person who wanted attention from his lover but he never showed it in front of others.

 

"Clingy?" I smiled and nuzzled his shirt. "what am I going to do with you...?"

 

"You can kiss me again," he answered and I shook my head.

 

"Nope, I have to go home," I tried leaving his arms but he only tightened his grip, whining.

 

" _Jagi_ ," he muffled into my hair. "One more kiss!"

 

" _Oppa_!" I scolded him, successfully wriggling out of his arms and facing him, only to find him pouting, his cheeks puffed out. "For someone who acts sexy on stage, you act like a little kid offstage," I giggled.

 

His cheeks weren't puffed anymore and he grinned teasingly, "Oh ho? I'm sexy now? I didn't know you think that way about me."

 

"So what if I do?" I crossed my arms, furrowing my brows and looking to the side. "It's the truth, isn't it?"

 

"Well then," he took a step closer, towering over me and he husked. "When I'm on stage, you can call me monster."


	14. Chapter 13

My fingers loomed over the keys of the piano, music reverberating through the quiet house. I kept my eyes on the sheet music, reading each not carefully while singing along. It was moments like this where I was able to sing with every ounce of my being.

 _Take a breath and I try to draw from my spirits well._  
Yet again you refuse to drink like a stubborn child.  
Lie to me,  
Convince me that I've been sick forever.  
And all of this,  
Will make sense when I get better.  
but I know the difference,  
Between myself and my reflection.  
I just can't help but to wonder,  
Which of us do you love?

 _So I bleed,_  
I bleed,  
And I breathe,  
I breathe no  
Bleed,  
I bleed,  
And I breathe,  
I breathe,  
I breathe  
I breathe no more.

I hit the last key and exhaled, the house going quiet once again before I sifted through more sheet music, looking for another song to practice. I heard the sound of clapping coming from the other side of the room and I looked over my shoulder, finding Jungkook beaming with delight.

"That was beautiful," he remarked.

I chuckled in response, " _Gamsahamnida, Oppa_."

He walked toward me and took a seat beside me at the piano, "Is this song by an American artist?"

" _Ne_ , one of my favorites actually," I replied. " _Halmeoni_  suggested I listen to her songs and listen to the piano in each song."

"Your English is impressive. It's just like Namjoon  _hyung's_ ," he commented before tapping on some keys, a soft melody in my ears.

"Is that the song you're working on?" 

"It is," he nodded. "Although... I can't really come up with something. I wanted to ask if you'd like to be my partner for the next award show. Think of it as our first time collaborating and composing a song together."

"I can live with that," I smirked, elbowing him gently and listening to him laugh. My eyes wandered to my phone, where I had turned off most of the notifications. I didn't want it to seem like I was running away but... those death threats had me worried. I wasn't sure what to do. Should I tell someone? 

" _Ne, Oppa_?" I mustered up the courage to asked Jungkook. "How would you feel... if someone hated you...?"

He exhaled and craned his neck, looking up at the ceiling, "How would I feel...?" He repeated, and he looked back at me, shrugged, "Honestly, I wouldn't care. Haters gonna hate and players gonna play, right? All I can do is drop them like a mic. Why do you ask?"

"Well," I didn't want to lie to him, but telling a half-truth wasn't so bad. "I know that not everyone will like me but... I just want to know how I can deal with it."

"I will tell you that dealing with it is never easy," he admitted. "it takes a toll on your mental health and puts a lot of pressure on you, especially when your insecurities get the better of you," he folded his hands. "at one point during my time with the  _hyungs_ , I began to think I wasn't the best person, that I wasn't good enough. I was in such a dark place that I hid the fact that I cried. I didn't want them worrying about me. As  _maknae_ , things can be very stressful, especially since we have to deal with the problems our  _hyungs_  face, but in the end, you should remember that no matter what, you're already doing what's right and your  _hyungs_  are proud of who you are. No amount of hate can change that fact."

"I see," I mulled over his words, my mind wandering back to those death threats. I didn't want it to affect me in any way, especially with the next award show in Japan. If Jungkook and I were going to do well, I had to stay focused. Without a second thought, I grabbed my phone and deleted all social media apps, praying the hatred of that one person would just go away. I would have to deal with it after the show and as a rising idol, bringing people together is my first priority.

******

Sehun was in the empty room, the stereo blasting as his body moved with the beat of the song. He took off his shirt, throwing it to the side and revealing the taut muscles of his torso, continuing his powerful choreography. Sweat dribbled down his milky white skin, creating a thin sheen, and his pulse throbbed in his neck, breathing heavily as the dance break commenced.

When the music ceased, he came to a stop, craning his neck and staring at the ceiling, his black hair clinging to his forehead as he caught his breath. He grabbed a towel and wiped down the sweat along his visage and neck before taking a seat and drinking some water.

" _Waaaa!_ " Suho remarked in amazement from his place at the doorway, hands tucked into his khaki pants as he walked inside. 

Sehun turned to face him, putting his towel to the side, " _Hyung_."

"What's got you dancing so aggressively?" He smiled widely.

" _Ani_ ," the maknae spoke. "just needed to let off some steam."

That response piqued his interest and he snickered, poking Sehun in the ribs, "Really? Is it a girl?"

" _Aigoo,_ " the younger male grunted, flinching and slapping his hand away gently. "No! Not at all!" Although, Suho was right. That cold shower he took when he came back didn't work so he had to resort to dancing.

"If you say so," he shrugged before that adorable grin returned to his lips. "So, you spent time with Ha-Neul and Jungkook? And Joy tagged along too?"

"We just had lunch," Sehun laughed it off and grabbed the shirt he had discarded haphazardly.

"I'm starting to think that the reason why you were getting rid of all that pent up frustration is because of Ha-Neul," the leader deduced, crossing his arms over his chest. "Come on, admit it. I noticed how you were staring at her during the award show the other day. You've always had a serious expression while dancing but that gaze right there was just pure lewdness. You wanted her to stare at you while you were dancing."

It looked like nothing could get past Suho. He knew him far too well to know if he was crushing on someone, but this wasn't a mere crush. This was... love at first sight, as cliché and immature as it sounded, but Sehun didn't care. It was all supposed to be a joke in the beginning--something his  _hyungs_  wanted to playfully bet on but when she walked on that stage with the Bangtan boys, he knew. Sehun knew Ha-Neul was different and he fell for her the moment she started singing and dancing.

All the girls in Korea looked the same. Long hair, glued to their phones, short skirts, gossiping, taking selfies, putting on makeup--but what about her? She was cute, shy, genuine, and she had this beauty he couldn't describe. There was always that one girl that was different and to him, Ha-Neul was that girl.

Yes, he did crave her. He ached for her, and he wanted to have his way with her, but at the same time, he wanted to know more. He wanted to be the reason she smiled every day just as much as he wanted to be a monster and take her. He hoped he would be able to see more of her when they traveled to Japan.


	15. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before you read, Cardinal Love is a fictional group a friend of mine created for the purpose of this fanfic :)

Yunokawa was teeming with life, the warm air embracing the idols' skin after spending time in the winter cold. The trees swayed in the breeze and the smell of sea salt permeated the air, the sand crunching underneath my sandals and the waves' music in my ears.

"It's beautiful here," Namjoon remarked.

" _Utsukushi_ ," I commented in Japanese. " _Totemo_   _utsukushi_..."

"Come to think of it," Jungkook held his chin as he looked me over. "This is the first time I've seen you wearing a skirt outside of an award show."

It was true. For this trip, I felt it was best to ditch my usual jean leggings. Instead, here I stood, wearing an adidas shirt and a white high-low skirt, "It's best to keep cool, especially in this weather." I shrugged as I grabbed my suitcase, following the other idols as we made our way to the cottages.

"Ha-Neul- _ah_!" Joy waved in the distance, her hair in a high ponytail once again and she wore a t-shirt and shorts. "Come bunk with us!" Seulgi, Wendy, Irene, and Yeri were with her as well, dressed either in camisoles or summer dresses.

"I better go," I said to the boys. "I'll meet up with you guys later after I settle down."

"Take your time," Yoongi responded. "The first day is just vacation day. Tomorrow is when the real work begins."

"Jin  _hyung_  and I are working together," Hoseok nudged him playfully. "We're going to do a lot of meditating."

"It's so we don't start laughing every other second, although we might fail," Jin shrugged, a helpless smile on his cheeks.

"That leaves me and Jimin  _hyung_ ," Taehyung said.

"We'll come up with something good," Jimin assured him with confidence.

"I'm going with Yoongi  _hyung_ ," Namjoon replied.

"Then it looks like we know who we're working with," Jungkook held his hip and looked down at me, asking. "Are you ready to work on our song?"

"Very ready," I grinned.

As the boys retreated to their cottage, I made my way to the girls of Red Velvet, opening the door to their cottage and taking in the interior. There was a quaint living space with a TV as well as a view of the ocean. Up the wooden stairs were several beds and the cottage was furnished with bright colored rugs and white leather seats.

"Definitely beautiful," I smirked to myself as I pulled my suitcase inside, listening to the girls as they squealed and looked around.

"This is sweet!" Yeri exclaimed. "And we get to stay here for two weeks!"

"I can't wait to hit the town later," Seulgi turned around. "I hear the gelato is delicious."

"Honestly, screw our diets," Wendy scoffed. "I need to eat so I am definitely eating a ton of gelato."

"Do you like it here so far, Ha-Neul?" Irene asked me as she helped unpack some of my things.

" _Ne_ ," I answered. "Thanks for helping me,  _Unnie_. It means a lot."

"Have you chosen a partner to work with you for the award show?" Joy opened the back door to let the sea breeze in.

"Jungkook  _oppa_ and I are working together. What about you girls?" I took out my toothbrush.

"Yeri and I are working together," Wendy said. "Irene  _unnie_ is working with Hyo, the soloist."

"Joy and Seulgi are working together as well," Irene places her toiletries in the washroom. "We wish you and Jungkook the best of luck. Knowing the two of you, you're going to come up with something amazing."

"Right?!" Yeri leaned against the railing. "You and  _oppa_  are going to come up with a great routine."

"I hope so," I sighed. "To be honest, I'm kind of nervous. I've never actually done a collaboration before. This is the first time."

"You'll be fine," Seulgi reassured me. "You slew at the first award show during your debut, so you'll slay this time around too,"

"Let's all go out," Wendy stood up from the couch. "We'll take Bangtan and EXO with us. It's always fun when all three groups hang out."

"I agree," Joy said as we headed out. Once we were outside, she locked the door and we stepped onto the sand.

"Ha-Neul- _ah_!" Namjoon called out from several feet away, hands tucked into the pockets of his khaki shorts.

" _Oppa_!" I joined my older brothers and asked. "The girls want to hit the town. You wanna come with?"

"Yes!" Jin said quickly before anyone else could answer. "I want to eat lobster! You know I love it!"

"I got my selfie stick in case we want to take pictures," Jungkook held up the stick in his hand.

"Then it's settled," Irene clapped her hands together. "Let's find Suho  _oppa_  and the other boys."

Once she had mentioned the boys in EXO, my eyes wandered toward the shore, where I found Chen playing with a dog and Kyungsoo had joined him. Kai was by the water, playing with Xiumin, who decided to chase after him, and Chanyeol, Suho and Baekhyun was seated on the sand. As for Sehun, he was standing a few feet away from his  _hyungs_ , hands tucked into his shorts with the breeze in his black hair. He wore an open button down over his white shirt, the sleeved rolled up to his elbows. There was something beautiful about seeing him in summer clothing. I couldn't help but look away to hide my blush.

" _Hyung_!" Jimin called out to Kai, who stopped playing with Xiumin.

" _Ne_?" He asked with a toothy grin, the sun on his glowing bronze skin.

"We're heading into town!" Taehyung gestured outward. "Do you want to come with?"

"Do we?!" Baekhyun stood abruptly, beaming as he ran toward us. "Yes! We're going with you!"

Sehun turned away from the water, his eyes on me now and I gave him a smile, waving toward him discreetly and he returned the grin, joining us with his elders in tow.

"What are we doing then?" He wondered.

"Just seeing the sights. Come," Joy said and we all left the beach, making our way onto the boardwalk.

******

The town was much different from the hustle and bustle of Seoul. There were shops lined on every street and the residents were friendly with each other, the smell of street food wafting into my nostrils.

"No, where is that gelato place?" Wendy asked as she looked around.

"You're serious about throwing away your diet," Suho stated with a laugh. "That's good. Girls should eat more."

"Amen to that," I agreed and found Sehun walking beside me, his phone in his hand.

"Selfie?" He asked, hope in his gaze.

"Sure," I gave a single nod and he carefully put his arm around me, pulling me close, tilting his head so it was resting against mine, his phone positioned above us. I made a finger heart and smiled at the camera, and he took several pictures.

Just as we were about to pull away, I turned my head, realizing how close his lips were to mine. I blushed and cleared my throat, turning away quickly, " _Mianhe_..." I apologized and he rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks tinted a slight pink.

"I-It's fine," he responded. "We can't really kiss in front of all these people anyway, you know...?" There was slight disappointment in his voice and I felt sympathy for him.

"R-Right," I stammered before hearing Jungkook.

"Ha-Neul- _ah_! Sehun  _hyung_!"

"Coming!" I called back, the two of us catching up with the rest of the group and just as we were about to walk into the gelato shop, we spotted a crowd of people gathering around the street, girls squealing and phones raised in the air, cameras going off.

"What's going on?" Xiumin asked as he stood to the side, and the answer was right in front of us—four men dressed in summer attire, sunglasses covering their eyes as they sauntered down the street. Judging from how popular they were, I assumed they were Japanese idols.

" _Suki yo_!" A girl cried out.

" _Kakkoi_!" A man shouted. "Cardinal Love!"

"Cardinal Love?" Kyungsoo asked, brows furrowed. "Why haven't we heard of them before?"

"They're brand new," Namjoon answered. "They're a Korean-American group that recently debuted. Their music is widely heard in America and has just been released in Japan, Korea, and several other countries." He looked to the male with brown hair. "That's Kim Min-jae, also referred to as West. He's the center and lead vocalist. Jeon Cheol-min," He looked to the young man with blue hair. "He's the  _maknae_  and they call him South. Park Hyun-wook or East, is their visual and rapper. And that," he looked away from the silver-haired male and toward the tall blonde male. "is Lee Il-sung, their leader, also know as North."

"Their all points in a compass," Kai realized. "Is that their theme?"

"Looks like it is," Jimin nodded. "A fitting theme for four men. It's a cool concept."

Those men walked past us, and I watched as their leader, Il-sung, took off his sunglasses, turning his gaze in our direction. His eyes widened slightly and he came to a stop. For a moment, I thought he knew who we were and he was going to greet us, but instead, he walked up to me instead, grabbing my hand abruptly and I made a confused sound.

I watched him press his lips to my knuckles and my face was boiling, "E-Eeeeehhhhhhh?!" I exclaimed and he pulled his lips away from my hand, chuckling.

"Are you an angel?" He asked and I stuttered.

" _N-Ne_ —?! I—I," I tried speaking and that was when I found Sehun standing in front of me, grabbing his wrist and pulling it away, a fierce look in his eyes. " _O-Oppa_...!" I exclaimed with disbelief.

"Hands off," he spoke calmly.

Il-sung stares at him for several moments before a smile spread across his lips and he politely bowed, "It's a pleasure to meet you... Oh Sehun."

So he did know who we were. I looked between them once more and I realized that Sehun had just displayed how he felt. I began to worry that our cover had been blown but it seemed no one questioned us. Instead, Il-sung turned his gaze away from him and looked at me, his eyes soft.

"I hope to see you again, angel," He husked before putting his sunglasses back on, walking away with the rest of his members.

I could still feel my knuckles tingling from that kiss and Jin frowned, watching them leave, "What just happened...?"

"Honestly," Hoseok began, shaking his head. "I have no idea..."

I looked up at Sehun, his expression blank, and I wanted to know what he was thinking, but I knew better than to pry in front of our friends. Was he angry? Jealous perhaps? Either way, it seemed he wasn't a fan of Il-sung, and he wasn't going to let him anywhere near me. Things have just gotten a lot worse.


	16. Chapter 15

"Weird," Namjoon scratched his nose as we left the cafe. "their leader just walked up to you..."

"I doubt they should know me," I agreed. "I'm still new, after all..." I looked to Sehun, who walked beside Suho, that blank expression still on his face after what happened with Il-sung of Cardinal Love. It took everything inside me not to just ask him what he was thinking right now. He didn't speak a word while we were inside.

We were heading back to the cottages to get ready for the bonfire tonight, and it gave us a chance to put on a fun performance for the other groups that were participating in the award show. Just as Red Velvet and I were about to go inside, a familiar face came running toward me.

"Ha-Neul- _ah_!" It was the stylist from the modeling agency. What was she doing here? "It's great to see you again!"

"You too," I bowed and she grabbed my arm, hugging me close. 

"Can you believe it?! I'm going to be your stylist for the award show! Don't worry, Bangtan will be in good hands!" She assured me, displaying some  _aegyo_ , her voice high-pitched and sweet.

"Who is this, Ha-Neul?" Irene asked as she looked between us.

"O-Oh, this is--" I began but the stylist cut me off.

" _Aigoo_! I can't believe I forgot to introduce myself!" She whined cutely. "My name is Eun-jae. I'm a stylist and I'll be handling Bangtan's look for the award show since Jeon Meijiwoo wasn't able to come."

"We look forward to working with you," Jungkook said with a grin and Eun-jae stumbled backward, staring at him for several moments before gasping.

"Y-You're... Jeon Jungkook!" She squealed.

"Yes, I am," He cackled gently. 

"You're my ultimate bias!" She exclaimed, running up to him. "I'm going to make sure you're the sexiest man on stage!"

"Why um," he scratched his cheek with the tip of his index finger, grinning shyly. "thanks...?" He spoke with uncertainty and looked over at me, "Ha-Neul, should we work on something fun for tonight's bonfire?"

" _Ne_!" I replied with a vigorous nod. "I like dancing with you. It's a lot of fun."

"You're... going to perform at the bonfire together?" Eun-jae asked slowly and my friend responded.

"Yes, I want us to warm up for the award show in two weeks. Think of tonight's performance as a test run."

"Well then," she clasped her hands together, continuing to display some aegyo. "Good luck! I hope you two have a wonderful performance tonight."

" _Gamsahamnida_ ," I bowed before her and she giggled, walking away. 

"Weird girl," Wendy said, holding her hip and watching her leave. "Or is it just me...?"

"No no," Yeri waved. "She's way too chipper... I understand what you mean... anyway, you both should get ready if you're going to perform tonight! We look forward to the entertainment."

"We should sing in Japanese," I faced Jungkook. "What do you think,  _Oppa_? Should we?"

"Good idea," he agreed. "it's only right to introduce the culture of this region by singing in Japanese. Let's get started."

******

"Sehun- _ah_ ," Chanyeol tapped the  _maknae's_  shoulder. "Sehun- _ah_! We gotta come up with something for tonight! You haven't spoken since we got gelato!"

Suho looked away from his sheet music and toward the youngest member, furrowing his brows in concern, "Sehun?" He stood up, holding his shoulder. He knew it had to do with Il-sung and the affection he showed Ha-Neul.

The black-haired male licked his lips, elbows on his thighs and hands folded as he continued to play through Il-sung kissing Ha-Neul's hand. He knew that man suddenly became interested in her, and he wasn't going to let him have his way. He stood up and looked at Chanyeol, "I know what we're going to sing!"

"You do?" Chanyeol raised his brows, eyes wide.

Suho took a step back, "You do?!"

"You do?!" Kai shouted toward the  _maknae_ , still reading book and music blasting in his ears.

"Why do I have a feeling this isn't going to go as planned?" Kyungsoo pressed a hand to his mouth.

"Don't you get it?!" Baekhyun smacked his shoulder. "Sehun- _ah_  likes Ha-Neul! That's why he's angry!"

"We're singing in Japanese," Sehun stated. "Loving You More from the COUNTDOWN album."

"B-But--!" Kai stuttered, his book falling out of his hands as he took off his earbuds. "Th-That's for the drama I was in!"

"Too late," Sehun urged. "It's my song to Ha-Neul now!"

" _Waaaaaa_ , he really does like her," Xiumin muttered in amazement. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Yeah, we're allowed to date now," Chen added. "We would have been fine with it."

"She just debuted," Sehun answered. "If a scandal came out about us dating soon after she became an idol, Bangtan's image would have been ruined. We're keeping it a secret so please, you all need to keep quiet about this too."

"Y-Yeah, of course, we will," Chanyeol replied. "But you do realize that if you sing that song, people will figure it out."

"They won't," he shook his head, "not if Bangtan sings with us. I want Il-sung to know she's mine, and he can't have her."

"You sure are clingy," Kyungsoo laughed, standing. "Alright then. We'll get Bangtan over here."

"What about Ha-Neul?" Kai wondered.

"She's performing too," he stated. "That way, no one knows what's actually going on."

In the beginning, it seemed they were making a joke about their youngest member falling for a girl, but it actually happened. For a while, they wondered if Sehun was interested in anyone, and he always answered by saying he wouldn't get married until he was thirty, but here he was--crazy about a girl he only met several weeks ago. They were happy he was being free with someone other than them. Their little brother was finally growing up.

Without hesitation, he called the Bangtan and they walked into the cottage, taking a seat on the floor or the couch. "What's going on?" Jimin asked as he took a seat beside Kai.

"Sehun wants us to perform together," Suho said to him. "He wants to..." he tried to word the next phrase carefully without giving away Sehun's attraction toward Ha-Neul. "prove to Cardinal Love that we are better..."

Ha-Neul looked at Suho for several moments, and he met her gaze, giving her a discreet nod as if telling her he knew. She had a feeling this had to do with when Il-sung kissed her hand, "Prove you're better?" She parroted. "That... doesn't sound right."

Taehyung scrunched his nose. "Why would we? It's not like we hate them or anything."

"It's nothing like that," Sehun agreed. "It has to do with Ha-Neul, and since you are her older brothers in a sense, don't you find it odd that he suddenly just walked up to her?"

"Well," Yoongi crossed his arms, contemplating what he said. "you're right. It did rub me the wrong way, actually."

" _Oppa_!" Ha-Neul faced Yoongi in disbelief. "You do know that I can take care of myself. It may not look like it, but I'm very grounded!"

"Ha-Neul- _ah_  is right. He isn't a bad guy," Hoseok spoke up. "He was just being a gentleman."

"Well, either way, it would make me very happy if you sang with us anyway," Sehun clapped his hands together. "If we're going to prove to our fans that we have always been friends then we should do this. The reason for this award show is to end fan wars after all."

"You have a point," Jin said. "alright, we'll collaborate with you. It's a request that's been long overdue."

" _Gomaweo, hyung_ ," Sehun sighed with relief. 

"It's no problem," Namjoon shook his head. "Just tell us which song you want us to sing with you, give us the line distribution, and we'll be ready."

"We know the choreography of all your songs already," Jungkook assured him. "so you don't have to worry about practice," he gave Ha-Neul a sad grin and looked down. " _Mianhe_... it looks like our partner performance for tonight will be postponed..."

"It's okay," Ha-Neul shook her head and grinned back, butterflies fluttering in her stomach as she mulled over Sehun's request.

The  _maknae_  of the older group looked at her once more, noticing the look of uncertainty in her eyes. It wasn't like he was doing this for ill purposes. He just wanted her attention and he wasn't going to let anyone else take that away from him. He had nothing against Cardinal Love... just its leader and his shameless behavior--well, shameless in Sehun's eyes, as hypocritical as it sounds.

******

The bonfire was lit on the stage, and Bangtan and EXO were ready for their performance. Ha-Neul was standing backstage, her eyes on the various boy and girl groups that were in the audience, all seated on logs that were placed on the sand, the sound of waves in the distance and the sun had finally set on the horizon. She could see the stars now, the orange and indigo gradient of the sky breathtaking.

She was wearing a leopard print dress with black sheer sleeves and a choker around her neck, her dainty dancer's feet in heels. Sehun took in her slender legs and the way her hair cascaded down her back. He fixed the cufflinks on his leather blazer and walked up behind her, inhaling the sweet scent of apple blossoms from her perfume before wrapping his arms around her petite frame, nuzzling the side of her head.

" _Oppa_ ," she spoke quietly. "If the others see--"

"So what," he cut her off. "My  _hyungs_  know about us... they won't say anything."

"But my  _hyungs_  will," she chuckled, giving into his embrace. "You're really angry, aren't you...?"

"Very," he spoke sincerely. " _Jagiya_ , all I want is for you to focus on me. I want to be the only one who makes you happy."

"You're such a puppy," Ha-Neul giggled. "if you wanted my attention, you could have just said so."

"But I want more," he breathed, closing his eyes. "If I could just make you my little doll... and I could hold onto you and never let you go... the things I want to do to you,  _jagi_..." he husked with need.

"You dirty minded potato," she teased him and she heard him laugh into her hair before he pulled away, his hands on her shoulders as he turned her to face him, his dark eyes staring into her bright brown ones. 

"This song is for you," he said, his expression solemn now. "no matter what, whatever song I'm performing, if we're performing on the same stage or you're watching, all of the songs I sing are for you. They are my feelings for you."

Ha-Neul gave a single nod and she heard Jungkook call out, "It's time!"

"We should go," she said and walked past him, and Sehun followed close behind. 

The members of Bangtan and EXO took their places on stage, their mics adjusted and Ha-Neul scanned the audience once more. She spotted Red Velvet up front, all waving toward her and she smiled back at them. Several logs back, she saw Cardinal Love and Il-sung stared in her direction. She listened to the music as it began and so began their choreography.

 _[_ **Sehun** ]  
Cause I love you more, love you more, baby  
Cause I love you more  
Tell me what you need cause I love you more

 _[_ **Baekhyun** , D.O.]  
If I could just forget, it would be easier but  
Just as I was back then, I'm here still unchanged  
The pain as if a dagger  
Stabbed me in the heart  
No one can replace you, nobody

 _[_ **Chanyeol** , Xiumin, Suho]  
You're also unchanged as well, right?  
Why did we let them go?  
Our hands, now I'll go to you  
Find me, temperature rising  
Cause I'm  
Loving you more compared to yesterday  
Loving you more I'm starting to love you  
The time we spend separated  
Baby cause I'm  
Loving you more compared to yesterday  
Loving you more compared to a second ago  
I'm yearning for you  
I'm missing you, I'm missing you

 _[_ **D.O.** , Chanyeol, Suho, Sehun, Chen, Kai]  
Hey girl, let's get out of here, let's escape  
You don't have to act strong anymore  
We rise again, how many times we fall  
We rise again  
Let go, let's escape from this reality  
You don't have to act strong anymore  
We rise again, hey  
I'll hold onto your hand and lead the way  
Listen up girl, I love you more

 _[_ **RM** , Hoseok, Suga]  
An obstacle can never be seen by the eyes  
I want to embrace you at any time  
But even this doesn't come true  
And get tangled again in someone's expectations  
Even if you're not there it's the same  
The more I think of you, the deeper I fall  
I gather the shattered puzzle pieces again  
Baby love you more

 _[_ **Jungkook** , Jin]  
You're also unchanged as well, right?  
Why did we let them go?  
Our hands (Now I'll go to you)  
Now I'll go to you  
Find me, temperature rising

_[ **Ha-Neul** , V]  
Cause I'm  
Loving you more compared to yesterday  
Loving you more I'm starting to love you  
The time we spend separated  
Baby cause I'm  
Loving you more compared to yesterday  
Loving you more compared to a second ago  
I'm yearning for you  
(Whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo)  
_ _I'm missing you, I'm missing you_

_[ **Jimin** , Suga, Jin, Hoseok, Jungkook]  
_ _Hey girl, let's get out of here, let's escape  
_ _You don't have to act strong anymore  
_ _We rise again, how many times we fall  
_ _We rise again  
_ _Let go, let's escape from this reality  
_ _You don't have to act strong anymore  
_ _We rise again, hey  
_ _I'll hold onto your hand and lead the way_

_[_ **Il-sung** , Min-jae]  
If we end up breaking (Oh girl)  
We just have to fix it again, any number of times  
We rise up, we rise up again  
I won't let go of your hand a second time  
Baby cause I love you more  
Cause I'm  
Lovin' you mo' compared to yesterday  
Lovin' you mo' I'm starting to love you  
The time we spend separated  
Baby cause I'm  
Lovin' you mo' compared to yesterday  
Lovin' you mo' compared to a second ago  
I'm yearning for you  
I'm missing you, I'm missing you

 _[_ **Min-jae** , Hyun-wook, Il-sung, Cheol-min]  
Hey girl, let's get out of here, let's escape  
You don't have to act strong anymore  
We rise again, how many times we fall  
We rise again  
Let go, let's escape from this reality  
You don't have to act strong anymore  
We rise again, hey  
I'll hold onto your hand and lead the way

Before Kyungsoo could sing the outro, it seemed someone else had decided to take over. Bangtan and EXO stopped their choreography, watching as the four males of Cardinal Love took the stage, headsets adjusted with Il-sung holding a mic as he sang. Ha-Neul watched as he tucked his free hand into one of the pockets of his slacks, walking toward her. As for Cheol-min and Min-jae, they sang the sub-vocals while Hyun-wook took the rap parts. This wasn't a part of the show but she noticed the other groups watching with intent.

Il-sung finished the song, taking her hand again, and behind her, Sehun was boiling with rage, his expression apathetic to hide how he was truly feeling.

"Cho Ha-Neul," Il-sung began, pressing a second kiss to her knuckles. "we meet again..."

"We are Cardinal Love," Min-jae spoke now. "we're new idols as well, but... not as popular as Bangtan and EXO. We've recently debuted."

"That's right," Cheol-min said in a monotonous tone.

Hyun-wook smirked, narrowing his eyes, "Hey, Shawty... hope we can become good friends."

"I hope so too," Il-sung agreed. "because we'll be seeing more of each other from now on."


	17. Chapter 16

My dear  _Halmeoni_ , our first night in Japan has come to an end, and a group that has recently debuted will be attending the next award shows to determine who will end the war between fans. You should also know that I have fallen in love with an amazing man. He's everything you'd expect your granddaughter to be with—tall and handsome with a kind heart. The only downside is that he's very whiny and clingy, but I don't mind, because I like that about him. He's very cute and sweet, and I'm sure you'll love him too.

However, the leader of that new group may be after me. He seems so fixated on me and I'm not sure what to do.  _Halmeoni_ , I wish you were here to give me advice, but sadly, I must keep my relationship with Sehun a secret. Although dating is alright now, my relationship is still forbidden, and the only people who know are Sehun's  _hyungs_  in EXO. I don't want to lie to my brothers in Bangtan so... I've decided that one of these days, I will tell them about my relationship.

I was seated at the table on the patio, staring at the water as the calm waves met the shore, the warm sea breeze in my hair and blowing my white dress. The girls in Red Velvet were already asleep and I couldn't seem to drift off. I tilted my head, reaching out toward the stars and sighing, recalling the bonfire where Il-sung had approached me, and from his actions, he made it perfectly clear that he was interested in me as well. He laid eyes on me once and he is so certain.

Does love at first sight truly exist?

Come to think of it, Sehun and I also fell at first sight. Maybe it does exist after all. I leaned back in my chair, my hands in my lap as I closed my eyes, beginning to sing the chorus of Yoongi's  _Seesaw_ , a smile playing on my lips as I took in the sea breeze. 

"I'll never get tired of hearing you sing," I heard that familiar voice from the end of the wooden staircase, opening my eyes and finding Sehun, who was dressed in a black buttondown and skinny jeans, his bangs covering his forehead.

" _Oppa_ ," I stood up from the chair and carefully walked down the steps, meeting him halfway. "You couldn't sleep either, huh?"

He puckered his lips cutely and shook his head, "Nope. The  _hyungs_  are up playing mafia. I wasn't a citizen this time so it wasn't fun. Bangtan is asleep though, so you don't have to worry about them."

"Oh, good," I sighed with relief.

"What was that song?" He asked.

"Seesaw," I answered. "Yoongi  _oppa_  wrote it. He said he had me in mind when it came it came to him."

"It sounds sad," he frowned a bit.

"It is," I agreed. "but maybe he'll change his mind when things are different."

"I hope so, for his sake," he chuckled. "How about a walk? I... want to stay close to you while it's still dark."

" _Ne_ ," I replied. I wanted the same thing. I grabbed his hand and we began to walk along the sand in comfortable silence until we found a stone path that led into a secluded area, where fireflies danced along the blades of grass. I inhaled and let go of his hand, crouching before the grass and admiring the little bugs as they let up. " _Hotaru_..."

" _Ho_... _taru_?" Sehun parroted, bending over, his hands on his knees as he too watched the fireflies.

"The Kanji for firefly," I said. "That was the first word I learned when  _Halmeoni_  taught me Japanese. She said that here, they are a symbol of good luck, unexpected visitors, and... impending love." I spoke the last part quietly. "She opened the doors to the courtyard one summer night and the two of us watched as they flew along the grass, and she sang a song to me..."

 _Ho, ho, Hotaru koi!_  
Over there the water impure  
Over here the water is pure  
Ho, ho, Hotaru koi!  
Ho, ho, come by the mountain road!

I heard him laugh quietly, kneeling beside me and smiling gently, "What a nice song... you lived with her ever since you were a child, right? Why?"

I exhaled softly, wrapping my arms around legs, resting my chin on my knees, "I used to be very frail as a child. I couldn't handle living in a city like Seoul at the time, so my parents sent me to live with  _Halmeoni,_ " nostalgia had begun to swell in my chest. "the countryside is a quiet place with good people, and everyone knows each other.  _Halmeoni_  moved there for a quieter life after I was born. Her house is rustic but beautiful, and whenever I came across the front gates, I was always happy to be home. She had a piano in the living room and the two of us would always play, and she would sing me songs from when she was an idol. When spring and summer came around, we would leave the house for a spell and walk beside the apple blossom trees. Being with her, feeling her warmth and watching as her songs brought the townsfolk together inspired me to become an idol as well." I giggled to myself. "I remember when Girls' Generation first debuted and she thought they were so cute. When I told her I wanted to sing and dance just like that, she prayed every night that I would be just like those girls."

"So your  _Halmeoni_  was an idol," Sehun responded with intrigue. "You must have received your talents from her."

"She went to a music college here in Japan and traveled between here, Korea, and America," I said. "I've never met my  _Hal-abeoji_ , but I know him from pictures. From what it looked like, he loved her very much. He was a writer too, and some of his poetry became songs that she would sing to me," I adjusted my seated position, allowing myself to lean back against a tree trunk, stretching my legs. "and you,  _Oppa_? What's your story?"

Sehun laughed a bit before taking a seat beside me, opening his palm and allowing a firefly to land on his skin, "I used to be an ulzzang. SM scouted me when I was still a kid, and that's how it all began. My parents were proud and my older brother was already in high school, thinking about his future. I've always wanted to entertain people, and now I can do just that whether it's on stage or in a drama, I do miss them from time to time, especially my brother and my nephew, but I promised them I would come home once the final comeback is finished. But even so, I'll have to serve in the military for two years so... I may have to leave them again..."

"They'll still be waiting for you when you get home," I assured him. "it may not seem like it but two years isn't a long time."

"To me it is," he sighed, his expression turning solemn as he looked at me. "because that means I would be away from you too,  _jagi_..."

" _Oppa_ ," I furrowed my brows, taking in the sadness in his dark eyes. "You know I'll wait. It won't be so bad... by then, I may have become a composer or a soloist. You never know, right?"

"Or the government may not send us to serve since we are helping the economy," he added. "But is it true what you said?" He asked with hope in his eyes. "Will you wait for me if I ever leave?"

"Of course," I replied without hesitation. "I'll always wait for you... Oh Sehun, you are very important to me and I never want to part with you. I thank God every day that Vivi came running to me. If he hadn't, I wouldn't have met you."

"I thank God too," he smiled genuinely. "I pray for you and my  _hyungs_ before bed every night..."

"You little puppy," I poked his cheek playfully before resting my head on his shoulder. "What else? What do you like?" Fatigue made my eyelids grow heavy, causing me to snuggle against him. 

"I like bubble tea," Sehun wrapped an arm around me, pulling me closer until our bodies were touching, and I could feel his heart racing, his body warm. "listening to hip hop, acting, dancing, singing, rapping... and you?"

"Playing piano, singing, dancing," I listed off. "I love eating bibimbap, drinking green tea, watching Disney moves--The Little Mermaid, especially--Sailor Moon, Anpanman, and cherry flavored sweets."

"Sailor Moon?" He laughed. "You mean with that girl who punished people in the name of the moon? You used to watch that?"

"Yes!" I giggled tiredly. "don't underestimate Usagi. She may be a crybaby but she's very strong. She's saved Mamoru plenty of times!" I looked up at him, narrowing my eyes and humming. "You know... you kind of look like Mamo..."

"If that's the case then you're my  _tokki_ ," he teased me. "and you'll have to save me whenever some evil queen comes to kidnap me and control me."

"Don't joke like that!" I said with horror and he broke into uncontrollable laughter.

It didn't take long until the two of us drifted off to sleep, holding each other close as the fireflies flickered in the comforting darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tokki*- Bunny or rabbit in Korean. It's a reference to Usagi


	18. Chapter 17

Sehun was the first to wake up the next morning, his long arms wrapped around Ha-Neul's petite frame. He listened as the trees swayed, the waves crashing into the shore in the distance. He lifted himself off the ground slightly, finding she was still asleep, reveling in her peaceful expression and gentle breathing. He lowered himself once again, burying his face in the crook of her neck, holding her tightly.

He felt her stir, attempting to leave his arms but he wasn't letting her go, " _Jagiya_ ," he whined tiredly, mumbling into her hair. "stay."

"Let go," she said quietly. "if we don't get up, Bangtan will know and--"

"Don't care," he pouted, "please stay..." He turned her gently in his arms, folding his arms around her waist and nuzzling her collarbone. "stay." he repeated like a child. He could hear her sigh in defeat, her small fingers combing through his black hair.

" _Oppa_ ," she tried. "you really are clingy and needy..." She heard him laugh into her chest before lifting his head, shifting so his arms were pressed on top of her torso, resting his chin on his hands.

"I said I would be, didn't I?" he smirked. "And I want you to pay attention to me and only me. Dance and sing for me when you're on stage and give me a lot of kisses too."

"What?" she laughed and sat up, "are you just acting cute because you're the maknae of your group or is this how you usually act?"

"Mmm, maybe both," he smiled widely. "think we can hang out some more later?"

"What about your song with Chanyeol  _oppa_?" Ha-Neul asked and he made a face, shrugging.

"I can always work on it with him later. The award show isn't until two weeks later," he stood up and offered his hand, helping me to my feet. "I wish we could have been partners,  _jagi_... but we're not in the same group..."

"Who knows?" she met his eyes. "maybe we might be able to collaborate in a future show."

"I hope so," he spoke contentedly before taking her hand, and they walked back toward the cottages. Thankfully, the other idols were asleep so that meant they wouldn't be spotted. As Ha-Neul ascended the wooden steps, she looked over my shoulder and gave Sehun a wave.

"I'll see you later," she said and he waved with both hands.

"If you wink, I'll believe you," he challenged playfully.

"Wink?" she parroted and hummed in contemplation, and tried to blink one of her eyes but ended up blinking both instead. "I can't wink." Ha-Neul stuck out my bottom lip, pouting, and Sehun ended up laughing uncontrollably.

"You really are cute, you know that?" he held onto the end of the banister, catching his breath. " _Joh-ahaeyo, jagi._ "

"Shhhh!" the brunette hissed in an attempt to make him stay quiet and heard the door open, turning abruptly to find Yeri stepping outside. She was dressed in a t-shirt and sleep shorts, rubbing the sleep from her bleary eyes.

" _Unnie_...? What are you doing up?" She asked before her gaze found Sehun. "Ah,  _Oppa_! You're awake too?"

" _Annyeong,_  Yeri- _ah_ ," he smiled at her and Ha-Neul pulled her closer.

"I was just getting from fresh air," she told a harmless fib. "Did you sleep okay?"

" _Ne_ ," she answered with a dreamy nod. "we have a lot of work to do, so I guess it's okay if we woke up early, right?"

"Mm-hmm," Ha-Neul nodded in agreement before facing Sehun and bowing. "We'll see you later.  _Annyeong_!"

" _Annyeong_ ," he chuckled, beginning to walk away, heading for EXO's cottage before he turned on his heels and called out. "Oh! Ha-Neul- _ah_!"  
  
" _Ne_?" She asked as she opened the door, glancing in his direction once more, catching that cheeky smile once again before he exclaimed happily while pressing the tips of his index fingers against his cheeks.

" _Bbyeong_!" he made a cute sound, displaying some  _aegyo_  before leaving for his cottage.

******

**_(Ha-Neul's POV)_ **

I stood frozen, wondering why he did something like that. I knew  _maknae_  were supposed to display some cuteness on screen once in a while but the concept was still foreign to me, and I am also in the  _maknae_  line.

"Looks like he's very comfortable with you," Yeri commented with a giggle. "Usually, Sehun  _oppa_  gets very embarrassed if he ever has to act cute."

"Really?" I found that rather amusing. 

"Yes. It seems he wants to make you smile," she entered the cottage with me. "I've noticed the  _hyungs_  in Bangtan and EXO are always on their best behavior when you're around. They don't act like that in front of us, that's for sure! You're very important to them."

"You know, you're right," I closed the door behind me. I didn't know I had that effect on them and they thought of me as someone important. I felt honored. "I'm going to take a shower first, then I'll make breakfast."

" _Gamsahamnida, Unnie_!" Yeri hugged me tightly, giggling, and I patted her arm.

"Anytime."

Sometime later, after the girls in Red Velvet got ready to work with their partners, I headed to Bangtan's cottage to meet with Jungkook, who sat on the front steps before the door, his phone in his hand. He raised his head and stood up, grinning brightly and meeting me halfway, "Ha-Neul- _ah_!"

"Ready to work on our collaboration?" I asked and he nodded vigorously.

"Let's head inside. If we're going to work on our song, you need to learn how to rap," he gestured, walking toward the door and I blinked with uncertainty.

"Wait... rap?" I smiled uneasily and followed behind him, entering the cottage, which wasn't so different from the interior Red Velvet's had. I took my shoes off and watched as he picked up some sheets and walked toward the electric piano. "Can I really learn how to rap in two weeks?"

"Sure you can!" He spoke with encouragement. "If you can pick up reading music, then you'll be able to rap in no time," he took a seat and patted the chair beside me as if telling me to sit. "When I first debuted, I was in the rap line, but Hoseok  _hyung_  was working to become a rapper as well, so I allowed him to take my place. I'm a sub-rapper now."

"You're very sweet,  _Oppa_ ," I remarked as I sat with him. "So, what should we do? An original song or a cover?"

"We'll do a cover for the show," Jungkook pulled out one of his Spotify playlists. "Let's go with Finesse by Bruno Mars and Cardi B."

"You want to sing a song that's completely in English?" I hummed in contemplation. "Namjoon  _oppa_  always says you guys should practice your English so... alright. Let's do it."

"Great!" He pulled out a piece of paper, with some lyrics already written on it. "These are just some stuff I came up with to start you off. You can try rapping while matching the tempo of the piano. Listen carefully though."

"Got it," I gave him a single nod and looked at the lyrics for a second before the sound of the piano reached my ears. I tapped my foot with the beat and I attempted to rap.

 _Knock knock Ha-Neul enters_  
Above your head spotlight  
You're no different than those other Gullivers that pretend to be great  
It's evident, shamelessly  
You idiots think that you can get this body?  
Otaku bookworm your Identity nobody can follow me  
The men interested in those girls blah blah blah  
My role model is Einstein, the light of creativity  
The unique color of the millions of dollars  
You can't buy my time  
We are different from birth

 _Baby, me and you are so different_  
If you want me then learn manners  
A very obvious love has certain rules  
I'm not your girlfriend  
I'm not your girlfriend

 _Baby, me and you are so different_  
If you want me, cling onto me and follow  
An unusual dream, a special luck  
I'm not your girlfriend  
I'm not your girlfriend

 _Oh yeah_  
Different, different, I'm unique  
Oh yeah  
Different, different, I'm unique  
If you want me, if you, if you want me  
If you, if you want me  
Bring it to me, millions of dollars  
If you want me, if you, if you want me  
If you, if you want me  
Bring it to me, millions of dollars

Jungkook stopped playing and stared at me with wide eyes, silence filling the cottage before speaking, "Wow... for your first time, that was pretty good. Are you just being humble?"

"No, really," I waved a hand, chuckling nervously. "I do not know how to rap. I--I guess I pay attention to music that I can piece together where the rap has to be placed."

"Well, that was great!" He exclaimed happily, beaming with delight. "We just have to work on your tempo a bit and you'll be good to go. Let's try it again."

I found it was so much fun working with Jungkook. He made singing and dancing enjoyable, and he always had a smile on his face. After we worked on improving my rapping skills, we listened to the song we were going to cover, and Jungkook continued to surprise me further, creating choreography off the top of his head. It was no wonder he was dubbed the Golden Maknae. He was good at everything. 

" _Hana, dul, set_!" he counted as we danced to the song in synchronization, and while we did so, I listened to the rap in the song, timing it so I knew where to begin and end, even going the extra mile to change some of the words to make it appropriate for the award show.

 _'Drop top Porsche, Rollie' on my wrist_  
Diamonds up and down my chain  
Ha-Neul, straight stuntin', can't tell me nothin'  
Bossed up and I changed the game  
It's my big Bronx boogie, got all them boys shook  
My big pretty eyes got all them boys hooked  
I went from dollar bills, now we poppin' rubber bands  
Kookie sang to me, while I do my money dance like ayy  
Flexin' on the 'Gram like ayy  
Hit the Lil' Jon, okay, okay  
Oh yeah, we drippin' in finesse and getting paid, ow!'

Jungkook was about to sing, but he was interrupted by the sound of my phone going off. We came to a stop and I faced him, an apologetic expression in my eyes but he waved it off and gestured, "It must be important. It could be your  _Halmeoni_ after all."

"That's true," I agreed and walked toward the couch, where my phone was resting, listening to my ringtone go off once again, playing NCT's Boss. I grabbed my phone, the screen showing an unknown number, and my first instinct was to turn it off since it seemed to be one of those courtesy calls, but it went off again. I rolled my eyes in annoyance and brought the phone to my ear. " _Yeoboseyo_?"

"You sure don't know what it means to stay away, do you?"

I never heard this voice before. I furrowed my brows, exhaling slowly, "Who is this?"

"Why does that matter? I've said it before on social media... stay away from Jungkook  _oppa_. If you don't, I will kill you."

My heart almost stopped. I thought I had forgotten about those words. I haven't been on social media because I didn't want to have to deal with those death threats. I looked over my shoulder quickly, finding Jungkook texting someone on his phone while singing the chorus of Bruno Mars' Finesse.

"How did you get my number?" I asked quietly through gritted teeth. "I don't know who you think you are but just because you're an obsessive fan doesn't mean others can't be friends with him. I don't see him as anything more than just a friend."

"I highly doubt that," the voice on the other line laughed. "because it makes total sense, doesn't it? A girl from the boondocks suddenly becomes an idol? Did you sleep with the CEO of Bighit just to be close with Bangtan? You've got no talent... you called that singing and dancing during the last award show? If anything, you're an embarrassment--a stain on the industry"

"You're sick!" I hissed, ready to block the unknown number but the female voice continued.

"Don't even think about blocking me... because I also have the number of the other  _hyungs_  in Bangtan," she growled. "If you do anything, I'll call them... and I'll threaten them too, but don't worry! My dear Kookie won't be threatened... he's too perfect to be threatened. You don't want the others to have to deal with death threats again, do you? It's not good for their mental health. I'll bring up all of their insecurities--the fact that Jimin used to be a fat freak, that Namjoon is ugly, that Hoseok has no place in the group... it'll be your fault. So... I will say it again. Stay. The hell. Away. From Jungkook  _oppa_."

The call ended and I slowly pulled the phone away from my ear, horror stirring within me. The last thing I wanted was for my  _hyungs_  to feel they weren't good enough. I needed them to focus on this show, but I couldn't just stop performing with Jungkook. He was counting on me. 

" _Halmeoni_ ," I muttered to myself. "what should I do...?"


	19. Chapter 18

After having practiced with Jungkook, I found myself pacing though Bangtan's cottage, tapping my phone against my palm in paranoia and chewing on my lower lip. I had to find some way to tell this person off, whoever she may be. All I knew was that she was obsessed with Jungkook.

What would  _Halmeoni_  do right now? What would she tell me?

"Oh, Ha-Neul!" I heard Namjoon's voice coming from behind me, and as always, he spoke English with me. It was our way of communicating, and if we ever needed to discuss something open ears and prying eyes didn't need to hear or see, we would resort to just that. "Finished practice already? Jungkook told me you're learning how to rap."

" _Oppa_ ," I faced him, putting on my best smile. "Y-Yeah.., we finished practicing. What about you and Yoongi  _oppa_?"

"Pretty much got it down," he hummed in contemplation, eyes narrow for a moment. "Are you sure you're okay? You don't look so good."

I didn't like lying at all, and I was very afraid. Maybe I should tell him. He is the leader of our group after all. With a heavy sigh, I gave him a single nod, my tense shoulders beginning to relax, "Honestly, I really need someone to listen to me... I've been holding so much in."

"Well, I'm always here to listen," he smiled widely, pulling up a chair and taking a seat, pressing his hands to his chest. "Now, tell big brother Namjoon what's on your mind."

I took a seat on the couch and put my phone on the table, recalling what happened after the first award show, "Someone... has been sending me death threats." I said carefully, meeting his gaze and his smile faded slowly, disbelief on his visage.

"Really?" He asked me, leaning forward a bit. "How long has this been going on?"

"Since after my debut," I stated. "I know, I should have told you as soon as possible but... I thought it was normal—that idols always receive hate from some people. I didn't want to worry you or the others and I didn't want it to damage my mental health, so I left all social media platforms to get away."

"Well, at least you did the right thing," he nodded slowly. "No one needs that toxicity. But still, next time if anything happens, you need to tell me."

"I promise I will," I replied before continuing. "A-Anyway, this person is an obsessive fan of Jungkook. She doesn't tolerate me anywhere near him. She thinks I joined Bangtan just to get closer to you and she also has gotten a hold of my number..."

"That's crazy," he remarked solemnly, crossing his arms. "That means this person came to Japan with us. I don't think it's any other idol. We wouldn't do something like that. Despite the feuds between our fanbases, we're all good friends."

"Do you really think it's someone that's hanging around us?" I wondered.

"It definitely is," he responded. "I'll let Suho  _hyung_  and Wendy know. The four of us can figure it out without the others getting hurt."

"She has your numbers as well," I added. "She said if I blocked her number, she'll threaten you and make you guys feel insecure. The last thing I want is for you all to feel that way, especially Jungkook  _oppa_."

"I'll call them right away," he stood up and pulled his phone out of his pocket, dialing Suho's number and watched as they spoke over the phone before Namjoon went ahead and talked to Wendy.

In the next few minutes, the two of them walked into the cottage, closing the door behind them, and Wendy walked toward me with a worried expression, "You okay?"

"I am, now that I've told you guys," I said and she grabbed my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"You told us sooner rather than later," Suho walked toward me, a gentle smile on his face. "If you hadn't, I think it would have taken a toll on your mental health."

"We're the only English speakers in our groups," Wendy looked between us. "Whenever we discuss this, make sure we communicate this way. The last thing we want is to cause an uproar because of this, and we could use this to our advantage. Maybe this fan doesn't understand what we're saying."

"She is with us though," Suho said. "She followed us all the way to Japan and she may be looking to sabotage the show. We can't rule out the possibility of that."

"She's obsessed with Jungkook," I explained. "She doesn't want me collaborating with him. We're partners for this award show."

"That's problematic," Namjoon frowned, tucking his hands into his jeans and looking to his feet. "We have to do something and quick."

"I'll check with the camera crew and technicians—anyone that is handling the award show," Suho faced the leader of Bangtan.

"And I'll check with the stylists," Wendy spoke up. "If its a female fan, then she's bound to gossip with the makeup artists and others."

"And in the meantime, I'll still practice with Jungkook," I said. "I can't let this distract me. I need to stay focused."

"You should practice with some people around you," Suho suggested. "The both of you stay with either Bangtan, EXO, of Red Velvet until the award show. If she's sending death threats, you'll find protection among others. I'll even make a call to tighten security."

"Never expect less from the future CEO of SM Entertainment," Wendy smirked toward EXO's leader and he chuckled with amusement.

"Have to make sure all idols are protected after all," he met my gaze and gave me that kind grin once again. "Be careful, alright?"

"I will," I bowed. "Thank you so much."

"It's no problem," Namjoon placed a hand on my shoulder. "We're not letting our little sister go down. You're family and you deserve to participate as much as we do."

******

Sehun had the biggest smile on his face, seated on the steps of EXO's cottage as Chanyeol talked to the backup dancers that would join them during their show. He placed his elbows on his thighs, hands folded with his chin resting on them, giggling to himself as he thought about Ha-Neul. The night before and the early morning were memories he didn't want fading from his thoughts. He wanted to hold Ha-Neul again, loving how tiny and cute she looked when she slept, her hair caught the sun's light in just the way that made his heart melt.

_You really are clingy and needy..._

He giggled dumbly again.

_You little puppy._

And again.

_Oppa! For someone who acts sexy on stage, you act like a little kid offstage._

And again.

Chanyeol had finished talking to the backup dancers before turning toward the younger male, "Sehun- _ah_ , let's get back to it."

He continued to giggle dreamily as if he didn't hear him, eye smiling now.

" _Ya_ ," Chanyeol called out to him, waving a hand in front of the maknae's face, who wouldn't stop daydreaming. " _Ya_.  _Ya_!" Chanyeol called out, lifting his foot and pushing Sehun against the steps to snap him out of his reverie.

"Ack!" The dark-haired male exclaimed as he was pushed to the side, his eyes on his elder. "Ah,  _hyung... mianhe_."

Chanyeol crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow, "Wonder what's made you so turned on... or who?"

"I-It's not like that!" Sehun shook his head vigorously. "I can't help it, you know. I'm sure you acted this way with  _Noona_  as well."

"Sure, I laughed like a madman everytime I thought about her," there was sarcasm in Chanyeol voice. "You sure are desperate for attention, even though we baby you a lot."

"What can I say?" he stood up, smirking. "I like the attention, especially when she's only looking at me..."

"She'll be looking at you during the show, so you better get back to work," Chanyeol grabbed him in a headlock, ruffling the younger male's hair and cackling as Sehun pushed him away in protest. Just as he was about to whine and complain, his dark eyes trailed past his senior, spotting the brunette he was completely enamored with walking with Jungkook, ready to practice outside.

"Oh! Ha-Neul- _ah_!" Sehun exclaimed and the girl's attention was on him now.

She raised her brows and Jungkook raised his arms, waving with that mischievous grin on his face, "Sehun  _hyung_! Chanyeol  _hyung_!"

"Jungkook," EXO's rapper turned around, arms still crossed, "looks like they've decided to practice outside like us."

"Come over!" Sehun waved gestured with excitement.

Ha-Neul was reluctant but she shrugged and walked toward the older men with Jungkook behind her, "Did you guys make any progress?" She asked.

"We did but Sehun is too busy daydreaming to continue," Chanyeol teased and Sehun scrunched his face, glaring at him.

"Why not show us what you came up with so far?" she asked.

The tall male hummed in contemplation, licking his lips before walking toward Ha-Neul, leaning in. She took a careful step back, staring at him in inquiry, and he pressed a finger to his lips, "It's a surprise."

"Huh?" she made a confused sound.

"Ahh," Jungkook held his hips, smirking. "So it's gonna be like that then? Alright, then we won't show you what we're working on, _hyung_ ," He winked before looking down at Ha-Neul. "But I'm sure you'll get a nosebleed from watching Ha-Neul rap."

Sehun stumbled backward in astonishment, lips pursed, " _J-Jinjjah_?! She's going to rap?!"

" _Oppa_!" She exclaimed, "Why did you tell him?!"

"You really think I didn't know?" Jungkook's smirk grew wider and he wriggled his eyebrows pervertedly. "I know you and Sehun  _hyung_  are dating."

Her eyes widened and she said in between a whisper and a shout. "Quiet down, will you?! Wh-Who told you that?!" She squeaked.

"I heard from Suho  _hyung_ , who was discussing it with Baekhyun  _hyung_ , who told me," he snickered. "Yaaaaaa, you're so bold, Ha-Neul! I didn't think this would happen so soon! I'm so proud!"

"Don't tell anyone else!  _Aigoo_!" She said with exasperation, the apples of her pale cheeks pink, and Sehun couldn't help but grin dumbly at how cute she looked. She exhaled heavily and faced the older men, "He's right. I'm going to be rapping for the show, but if you're keeping your performance a secret, so are we!"

"Fair enough," Sehun tucked his hands into the pockets of his skinny jeans. "How about a challenge? Let's see who can make each other stare. I plan on having your undivided attention,  _jagi_." He couldn't describe how good it felt right now to call her that in front of a member of Bangtan.

"I plan the same thing," she crossed her arms and stepped closer to him, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes to get a better view of her towering boyfriend. "I'm going to make sure you don't look anywhere else but the stage. On me."

" _Aish_ ," Chanyeol hissed. "are you two already fighting with each other?"

"Nope," Ha-Neul shook her head, looking at him. "People do crazy things when it comes to attraction."

******

In the distance, Il-sung was seated on the patio of his group's cottage, sipping his iced coffee as he watched Ha-Neul and Sehun go back and forth, teasing each other and giggling, and Jungkook and Chanyeol were no different. He sighed quietly, eyes trailing along her brown hair that blew in the gentle ocean breeze. Her chocolate brown eyes were sparkling in the sun, a slight blush to her cheeks as she pressed a hand to her mouth, laughing at whatever Sehun and Chanyeol said before Jungkook joined in on their antics. The beach dress she wore suited her--a white summer dress with a teal gradient at the end of the skirt, and on her dainty feet were sandals. He observed the way Sehun reached out to brush her fringe away from her eyes, sweet talking her while the four of them took a seat on the steps of EXO's cottage.

She was an absolute angel in his eyes. Love at first sight was something he never knew existed until now. It was a shame she seemed interested in Sehun however, but he hoped in time, he would be able to turn her gaze toward him.

" _Hyung_ ," Min-jae said after swallowing a piece of clementine. " _Ya, hyung_!" He listened to the leader of Cardinal Love sigh lovingly.

"Look at her, will you?" He spoke. "The way the sun catches her eyes... her iridescent smile... she's an angel sent to save me..."

"He's gone nuts," Cheol-min sighed with defeat, leaning against the doorframe. "As if being the princely type and shameless flattery wasn't enough for him. You say that about all the other girls."

"But she's different," Il-sung breathed. "she's the one, I know it. The one meant for me."

"EXO's  _maknae_  seems very comfortable around her," Hyun-wook said sourly after munching on some french fries. "Seems like the two of them are close... you'll have no chance with him protecting her all the time."

"Don't worry," Il-sung assured him. "I'll find a way... she and I will be together in no time."

"Good."

They turned to the voice behind them, and Eun-jae stood, glaring daggers in Ha-Neul's direction as she walked onto the patio. "If we want to get rid of her, we create a scandal."

"But... why are you so fixated on her?" Cheol-min wondered and she pulled out her phone.

"She took away someone I hold dear" she explained, scrolling through her contacts to find the female idol's number. "and she's going to pay for that crime... I could care less about Bangtan's  _maknae_ , but if I'm going to drive her out, I better play the part of the obsessive fan."

"Someone dear to you?" Il-sung parroted and the young woman scoffed gently.

"He's gone now... and it's all because of her," she pressed her finger on Ha-Neul's number, bringing the phone to her ear.


	20. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Arabella belongs to LeopardstarSilver!

The calls from that anonymous fan wouldn't cease, and I was growing anxious. A week had passed since the idols arrived in Yunokawa and the award show was just a few days away. Despite the death threats and tight security, I continued to practice with Jungkook, who helped my further improve on my rapping skills, and on this bright warm day, the idols were invited to attend a street festival in the town. There was a shrine up ahead for the people to pray and make wishes, and the night  _Kagura_  would be performed before the fireworks show. I figured this would be a great distraction from the stress I was feeling.

" _Waaaaa_!" Taehyung exclaimed as he looked around, eyes wide as he looked at the cute Japanese girls giggle and pass by. "We're in a  _manga_ , guys!"

"So what should we do first?" Jimin asked, looking between the three groups. "Play some games? Drink?"

"Let's save the drinking until the fireworks show," Kai laughed, slapping his shoulder gently.

"Good, Namjoon and I don't want to carry you drunkards later, so please behave," Suho smiled widely and Namjoon doubled over, laughing uncontrollably.

" _Ne, Eomma_!" Baekhyun let out an exaggerated sigh of disappointment. " _Kkaebsong_..."

Hoseok began to laugh as well before pointing outward, " _Ya_! Let's play that game over there!" He looked to one of the stands.

"Right behind you," Joy linked arms with him, dragging him along, and Namjoon added.

"Remember! Don't wander off!"

I watched everyone leave, smiling to myself as they spread out, trying food and whatever games their yen could afford. I didn't notice Sehun standing beside me, hands tucked into the pockets of his skinny jeans as he smirked crookedly, "Should we have some fun too?"

"If you want," I shrugged. "what should we do first?"

"Bubble tea," he answered quickly. "We can't have fun without bubble tea."

I rolled my eyes playfully and began to walk ahead with him trailing behind me, looking for a stand that sold said beverage. Eventually, I found a stand where several girls dressed in school uniforms were drinking their iced coffee with tapioca bubbles. I walked toward the stand and spoke to the barista, " _Sumimasen? Futatsu no ocha onegaishimasu?_ "

" _Kashikomarimashita,_ " the barista bowed before me before turning to make out bubble tea.

" _Arigatou gozaimasu_ ," I nodded and took a step back.

" _Oh ho_ ," Sehun stared at me in amazement. "Your Japanese is impressive..."

I smiled up at him. "I can teach you if you teach me Mandarin."

"Deal," he grinned.

I grabbed our bubble tea and handed the barista the right amount of yen before we continued down the street, listening to the people as they talked and laughed, wind chimes dancing and shimmering above us against the bright gold lanterns. I sipped my bubble tea before looking to the wind chimes, and I truly felt like I was in a  _shojo anime_.

"They're very pretty," Sehun commented and I nodded in agreement.

"I've always wanted to stand underneath the lanterns and wind chimes," I said. "During high school, since we don't have these kinds of events, I would watch anime and imagine myself as the heroine dressed in a pretty  _yukata_  to surprise my tall, handsome, and otherwise brooding boyfriend. Then the two of us would attend this festival."

"I didn't know you were the dreamy type," he remarked with a chuckle. "I take it you've never had a boyfriend before?"

" _Ani_ ," I shook my head, facing him. "You're my first. I've never had a boyfriend in high school or university."

"Oh,  _jinjjah_?!" he asked with excitement. "I'm truly your first?" He laughed proudly. "You're my first too, which means I'm the hero and I get to stand under these wind chimes with you."

"I couldn't ask for anything better," I smiled and we gazed at each other for several moments before continuing our walk. "You're tall and handsome, and you only act like the brooding type on stage, so you fit the description rather well."

"Should I deliver some cheesy romantic lines then?" He pressed on. "We can turn this  _anime_  into a drama."

I found myself laughing, and he joined me in laughter as well. This man truly amazed me and I can see why his  _hyungs_  love him so much. He's the light of their lives, always bringing a smile to their faces, and in return, they baby and pamper him like the baby brother of their family. His laugh was adorable and contagious, that wide eye smile spreading across his face and adding to his boyish charm. We wandered from stall to stall playing games, taking selfies together, and engaging in the most fun of conversations, and it felt like we could be a couple without having to worry about a scandal. It must have been the sugar from the bubble tea but we were both hyper now.

"Yehet! Cotton candy!" He sang, holding up a pink cloud of fluff on a stick in his hand. "Let's share,  _jagi_!"

"Maybe you should cut down on the sugar," I suggested with a giggle and he shook his head.

"No way. I got my braces off months before and I couldn't even eat sweets," he walked beside me now. "I'm eating tons of candy from now on and I deserve it, especially red bean candy."

"Alright, you puppy," I patted his arm and I could feel his long fingers lacing with my own small ones, holding onto my hand. I raised my brows and looked up at him once more. " _Oppa_ , are you sure it's okay to hold hands like this in public?"

"Of course," he pulled me closer and he placed the cotton candy in front of me. "Have some!"

I glanced at the treat before ripping a piece and popping it into my mouth, the fluffy cloud of sugar dissolving into my mouth. "Mmm!" I squealed happily. "It's good. It's been a while since I've had this."

"Right?" Sehun asked before having some himself, walking together and holding hands once more before he spun and pulled me closer, his lips finding mine effortlessly. I hummed into his mouth, kissing him back and tasting bubble tea and cotton candy on his lips.

The cotton candy was all but forgotten, and his fingers laced through my hair, deepening the kiss before I pulled away for some air. I laughed breathily, meeting his dark gaze as my arms rested on his broad shoulders. "We should have been more discreet, don't you think?"

"I don't really care right now," he smirked mischievously. "Besides, I wouldn't be the evil  _maknae_  if I didn't steal at least one kiss from you, right?"

"No, I guess not," I agreed.

"I want to kiss you again,  _jagi_ ," he leaned down, pushing his forehead against mine, his soft black hair brushing against my eyelids. "No, actually, I want to give you a thousand kisses."

"Maybe when there aren't so many people," I took a step back, my cheeks flaring at his words. He's always so sincere. It's hard to believe he was very shy when we first met. He's become so much more lively and I found myself adoring this Sehun—the guy who is always being spoiled by his  _hyungs_  and acting childishly, just so he could gain some attention.

Suddenly, the sound of screaming came from the haunted house up ahead and out came Jin, running and flailing his hands. "What's this?! What?! What?!" He screamed.

The eldest member of Bangtan fell on his backside, screaming hysterically, and I wasted no time running to his aid, Sehun right behind me.

" _Oppa_!" I called out and Jin breathed heavily, holding his chest in an attempt to calm his racing heart.

He looked up, "Ha-Neul- _ah_! Sehun- _ah_!" he was hyperventilating now. "Th-There was a man with a scalpel! A-And another with a chainsaw!"

" _Gwenchana_ ,  _hyung_?" He knelt before Jin, extending his hand and helping him to his feet. " _Aigoo_ , did you go into that haunted house?"

I sighed heavily, my hands pressed to my hips before I saw Chen and Xiumin running out of the house as well, completely unfazed by the fictional horrors within.

"You just went screaming," Chen laughed a bit. " _Gwenchanayo_?"

"Are you serious?" I asked firmly. "Why did you let him go in there? If he's afraid of cute dogs, he won't be able to survive a haunted house!"

"Oh, we didn't dare him to go in," Xiumin raised his hands, eyes wide in denial. "Jin- _ah_  said something along the lines of, 'I'm not afraid, you know?!'"

"Never believe him when he says that!" I said with exasperation, then Joy came out, a pout on her face.

"Did you get scared too?" Sehun asked, furrowing his dark brows with concern as she raised a hand, whimpering.

"Sehun  _oppa_ ," she spoke like a sad younger sister. "The doggy didn't like me! He bit me!"

"W-Wha...?" I was utterly confused until I remembered their most recent song. "Oh right... she's into werewolves. Gotta remember that!"

" _Jinjjah_?!" Sehun exclaimed before holding the bridge of his nose. " _Aish_... that was a man in a costume!"

She sniffled and walked toward me, holding me tightly, "Ha-Neul- _ah_!"

" _Aigoo_ ," I chuckled tiredly, patting her back.

"Aaah, how can you like that werewolf?!" Jin cried out in horror. "Girls have weird taste in men!"

There was no denying that. I'm actually glad Sehun is...  _mostly_  normal.

"I think their recent song is still stuck in her head," Xiumin muttered to Chen, smirking.

"Definitely," he agreed, crossing his arms.

"I think that's enough horror for today," I spoke, my hands holding Joy's elbows as I looked between my friends. "The night  _Kagura_  should be starting soon. How about we meet with the others and get a good spot at the shrine to watch?"

"Good idea," Jin said, still fidgeting. "D-Don't tell anyone I was afraid."

"They'll know anyway,  _Eomma_ ," I replied.

******

The night  _Kagura_  was about to begin and the people attending the festival surrounded the open area of the shrine, where the Shrine Priestess was to perform. I noticed a camera crew was setting up their equipment for the performance, and there was a photographer present as well.

She had lustrous silver hair, and she was in an oversized black t-shirt and denim shorts, her fedora put to the side with her camera as she adjusted her appearance before a mirror. She wore looped earrings and had a nose piercing as well, a slim choker wrapped around her neck with bracelets on each wrist.

"Ready, Bella?!" One of the crew asked and she put her fedora on her head, changing the lenses of her camera.

"Ready!" She said, beginning to take photos of the stage. Her booties clicked against the pavement as she took more pictures.

"Wonder where the Shrine Maiden is," Jimin looked around and then he found her seated on the side, wearing an elaborate kimono embroidered in different-colored flowers.

"I'm glad I'm back here," Kai held his hip and smiled. "I didn't have a chance to go to Kyoto when I was filming a drama here. I would have loved to the  _Kagura_  back then."

"The  _Kagura_  is a ritual dance used to exorcize evil spirits from shrines," I explained. "Shrine Maidens take their jobs seriously. They're very different from the priestesses you see in  _anime_."

"I bet," Irene nodded as she looked over the woman's kimono. "Just look at how much detail is on her attire. It's beautiful."

"Maybe we can use this time to incorporate some aspects of the  _Kagura_  into our choreography," Jungkook suggested. "That is if any of us are singing in Japanese."

"Maybe the flow of her dance can be in our choreography," Yoongi droned.

"Guys, it's starting!" Hoseok watched the Shrine Maiden walk toward the center of the Shrine, the bells in her hand chiming as she walked. She came to a stop, and a  _geisha_  began to play her shamisen, and the  _Kagura_  commenced.

Sehun took out his phone, filming a small amount of the dance before posting it on Instagram, and Chanyeol watched in astonishment as she moved along the pavement, the banners at the end of the bells flying with her dance.

"She has no emotion on her face," he muttered as he observed the Shrine Maiden's visage. "You can tell she takes this seriously."

"Such a beautiful dance," Wendy hummed. "She's focused on the technique as well as the spiritual benefit of being cleansed."

"This could work for our choreography!" Yeri chirped. "We should make a full movie and study her dance!"

"Good idea," Seulgi pulled out her phone as well, making a movie of the show.

I watched the priestess spin gracefully before the sound of a camera went of beside me. I looked at the silver-haired woman who looked into the viewfinder before snapping more pictures.

"Simply breathtaking," she smiled. "And the lighting is perfect, don't you think?"

"I agree," I said and the woman turned to me, smiling kindly. "I noticed you were with a bunch of good-looking guys and girls. Do you happen to be celebrities?"

"Well," I chuckled nervously before shrugging. "Something like that." I couldn't really say anything or else it would stir some unwanted attention. There was already enough trouble with that anonymous fan. "I'm Ha-Neul."

"Arabella, but you can call me Bella," she said. "Seriously though, I feel like I know you and your friends from somewhere... a movie, or a magazine perhaps?"

"Ah, the bells are chiming again!" Taehyung squealed as he pressed against Baekhyun, who threw his arms around him and giggled.

"Right?! They sound so pretty!" He beamed with delight and I noticed Bella's dumbfounded expression, her eyes wide as she stared in Taehyung's direction, then toward Baekhyun before the rest of Bangtan, EXO, And Red Velvet. She nearly dropped her camera but I was quick to catch it.

"Whoa there!" I said, and she still didn't look away. I laughed and placed the camera in her hands. "This looks pretty expensive. Wouldn't want it breaking while you're doing your job, now would you?"

"You guys are," she pressed a hand to her mouth. "Bangtan... EXO... and Red Velvet..."

I feared she would scream and alert the people around her but instead, she kept it inside, her intense gaze staring into my own.

"Don't worry, I promise not to say anything," she whispered. "I seriously didn't think I would ever run into the biggest groups in the KPOP industry!"

"I take it you're a fan?" I smirked.

"A big fan," she giggled. "Congrats on your debut, by the way. Bangtan is lucky to have you."

"Thank you," I looked back at the performance.

Unsuspectedly, someone stood out from the crowd and walked into the middle of the shrine, and the Shrine Maiden slowly stopped dancing, irritation in her eyes as the person stepped up.

"Just what are you doing?!" She asked her, and one more closer look and I noticed the woman that came out from the crowd was Eun-jae. "The  _Kagura_  is sacred! It cannot be interrupted!"

"Save your breath," Eun-jae scoffed before looking to the audience. "What are you all waiting for?! The show's over! Get out of here!"

The crowd murmured as they eyed Eun-jae and she exclaimed again, this time at the top of her lungs, and I never suspected she would have an unfavorable side to her. She happened to be rather sweet when I first met her. The audience decided to listen and they thinned out, leaving our groups, the priestess and Bella in the shrine now.

"Eun-jae," I began. "What's going on? Why are you acting this way?"

"Do you really think studying an ancient dance will help you guys win some stupid award?" She asked and this definitely wasn't the bubbly stylist I ran into back at the modeling agency.

"The hell's your problem?" Namjoon asked her. "No need to act all hostile. You could have just waited until it ended."

"Then I wouldn't be able to do this," she gestured. "Gather all of you here. Now, I could care less about your groups, but I have a big problem with one of you?"

"And who might that be?" Suho narrowed his eyes. "Because the last time we checked, we don't know you at all."

"You don't," she admitted. "but Ha-Neul does."

I furrowed my brows, "What are you talking about...?"

"You really are a dense country bumpkin, aren't you?" She groaned in annoyance. "I'm the one who sent you those death threats. I'm the supposed  _yandere_  fan that wants Jungkook."

I released a gasp, pressing my knuckles to my mouth as I met her eyes. 

She was definitely the last person I expected to do something like this. All of that hate was coming from her because I found a place among Bangtan and Jungkook is my friend.  _Halmeoni_ , this is the first anti-fan I've ever met and I believe it's going to be very difficult to deal with her. I wish I knew what to do because the last thing I want is for her to give my friends a hard time. These award shows are important to them and they shouldn't have to deal with this hate. I wonder what you did when you faced hate like this.


End file.
